SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday urged the government to accelerate the construction of quarantine centers and field hospitals to ease the burden on the country’s health care system.

Gatchalian said schools should not be used as quarantine centers or isolation facilities.

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture said using schools as isolation facilities or evacuation centers in times of natural disasters is not sustainable and does not foster a culture of safety.

“Ang mabilis na pagpapatayo ng mga field hospitals at mga quarantine centers ang isang paraan upang mabigyan natin ng agarang atensiyon ang mga kababayan nating nagkakasakit,” Gatchalian said.

“Imbes na masanay tayong gumamit ng mga paaralan bilang isolation facilities o evacuation centers, ang dapat nating tiyakin ay ang pagkakaroon ng sapat at angkop na mga pasilidad para sa mga nangangailan ng tulong medikal,” he added.

The senator shared that in other countries, field hospitals were installed to strengthen the capacity of their health care systems capacity in managing Covid19 cases.

He cited the case in Thailand which recently announced plans to put up 10,000 field hospital beds following a new surge of Covid19 infections.

Last year, up to 13,000 patients were treated in 16 temporary hospitals in Wuhan, China.

Last year, Valenzuela City also put up centralized isolation facilities at the Balai Banyuhay and Valenzuela Astrodome, which has modular tents and military cots for patient use.

Balai Banyuhay is a drug rehabilitation and treatment facility.

The lawmaker also pitched anew his proposal to build an evacuation center in every city and municipality in the country, which is the objective of Senate Bill 747 which was filed in 2019.