MANILA, Philippines – The newly-built Pasig City crematorium at the Pasig Cemetery is expected to be operational within the week after the Department of Health (DOH) inspected it on Monday morning, May 11.
The Pasig Public Information Office said that the city government has “expedited this project for a most cost-effective management of the dead.” (READ: Hospitals, LGUs told: Stick to 12-hour rule in cremating patients who die of coronavirus)
In early April, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto announced that the city government has partnered with the Evergreen Chapels & Crematory on C. Raymundo Avenue for the cremation of Pasig residents who succumbed to the COVID-19. (READ: Pasig City gov't shoulders cremation of residents who die of coronavirus)
The DOH also inspected on Monday the Rizal High School which has been converted into a community quarantine facility.
Phase 1 of the project will have 4 buildings ready to take in coronavirus patients “as soon” as the city government receives the green light from the DOH.
A building will have 54 beds for COVID-19 patients who do not show symptoms and those who exhibit mild symptoms.
Another building will be for recovering patients. Called a “step-down facility”, this building also has 54 beds.
The other two buildings will be dedicated to probable cases.
“This can be expanded as the need arises (but) we’re hoping that we will not need it,” the Pasig PIO said.
Supplemental cash aid
The Pasig PIO also said that the city government has already distributed the national government’s emergency cash aid to 99% of the city’s target beneficiaries.
It added that Monday would be the last day for the distribution of the cash assistance to the remaining beneficiaries, mostly senior citizens. This would be done house-to-house.
The supplemental cash assistance, amounting to P8,000 per family, also distributed house-to-house, has begun. “To date, we have already distributed to almost 10,000 [recipients],” the Pasig PIO said.
As of Saturday, May 9, the city government has distributed the supplemental cash assistance to 7,892 families. The city government said that more than 260,000 families will benefit from the supplemental cash assistance.
The Pasig PIO said that distribution of the supplemental assistance will now be faster since the city government has almost completed handing out the cash assistance from Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
As of Saturday, Pasig City has 402 coronavirus cases, with 122 patients recovering from the disease. Another 63 had died.
On Monday, the number of COVID-19 cases in the country has breached the 11,000 mark.
The Department of Health (DOH) said that 11,086 coronavirus cases have been recorded nationwide, with 726 deaths, and 1,999 patients have recovered. – Rappler.com
