An off-site modular hospital will be constructed at the Lung Center of the Philippines and the Dr. Jose Rodriguez Memorial Hospital to accommodate more COVID-19 patients, the Department of Public Works and Highways said Thursday.

The department said they were recently tapped by both hospitals to build the off-site modular facilities within their compounds.

The modular hospital at the Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City will have an individual isolation room per patient complete with its own bathroom and toilet, and a CCTV cardiac monitoring and oxygen pipeline for ventilation.

The Dr. Jose Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Caloocan City, which caters mainly to moderate and severe COVID-19 cases, will have a modular hospital for 24 intensive care patients and a 32-bed capacity dormitory for healthcare workers.

Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar said they will expand their healthcare infrastructure by extending technical guidance to hospitals to expedite the construction of additional hospital facilities in Metro Manila for COVID-19 patients.

Under the second phase of the national action plan against COVID-19 Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic or COVID-19 CODE Team, the DPWH is among the line agencies helping develop strategies, plans and measures to provide expanded space necessary to treat patients with COVID-19 safely, added Secretary Villar.

Other hospitals, including the East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC) in Quezon City and Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila, had requested facilities and technical assistance from the department.

According to Undersecretary Emil Sadain, the ongoing building project at EAMC is now being fast-tracked. It is expected that additional 250 patients will be accommodated at the new building by August 17.

The department also reiterated its commitment to provide technical assistance to complete various treatment facilities and increase COVID-19 bed capacity of PGH.

“More healthcare-related construction is in the pipeline of DPWH throughout the country — with construction teams working around the clock to complete projects at an incredible pace,” Sadain said.