Lazatin taps HARP for additional COVID isolation facility

Posted on April 08, 2021 by Admin

ANGELES CITY – Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. has designated additional COVID-19 facilities as isolation areas for patients who are asymptomatic and with mild symptoms, tapping the help of the Hotel and Restaurant Association in Pampanga (HARP).

Three HARP members namely O Garden Hotel, Diamond Spring Hotel (Annex), and Sydney Hotel answered Mayor Lazatin's call for additional isolation facilities. Said hotel facilities have a combined number of 106 rooms.

This was announced on the official Facebook page of Angeles City Information Office on April 6, 2021 informing Angelen?os that these facilities can accommodate asymptomatic and with mild symptoms.

Meanwhile, the HARP's Facebook page also echoed this saying “just in case you have relatives or friends who need an isolation facility for positive patients/asymptomatic patients, HARP is handling available isolation facilities.”

Asymptomatic patients and those with mild symptoms who will be isolated at these hotels will be monitored regularly by RLMMC personnel.

However, patients should be assessed first at the Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center (RLMMC), before they can be confined or isolated in the said facilities, RLMMC Officer-In-Charge Dr. Froilan Canlas said.

“Hindi po basta-basta pwedeng dumiretso sa mga nabanggit na hotels. Kailangan po munang mai-check ang pasyente ng mga doctors sa RLMMC,” he added.

This initiative, exclusive for Angeles City and Pampanga residents, was done after the city experienced a surge in the number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases per day, overwhelming the bed capacities of the city’s public and private hospitals.

The existing arrangement at the RLMMC for COVID-19 confirmed patients as required by the Department of Health – Authorized Bed Capacity (ABC) is 60 beds out of the 120 total bed capacity, Dr. Canlas explained.

On top of this, there are 3 isolation tents with air conditioned units installed at RLMMC, accommodating eight patients each.

It can be recalled that since the start of the pandemic, the HARP allowed some of their establishments to be used as temporary housing for front liners and health workers.

The association has also actively extended donation of canned goods, water bottles, and relief packs, Lazatin said.

Through these efforts, Lazatin has remained committed to help local hotels and restaurants get back on their feet, after being gravely affected by the pandemic. Part of the city’s assistance include extending business tax payment without penalties; strengthening the tourism campaign in the city through promotional shoots posted on social media pages; and urging the City Council to pass an Ordinance that would grant a tax relief in a form of tax credit worth P100,000.