In April 2020, The Ninoy Aquino Stadium at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex started accepting patients. The instant hospital was completed only within five days that houses 112 hospital beds. This was manned by frontliners -- AFP Medical Corps. This was built by private partners Prime BMD and Bloombery Cultural Foundation, Inc. of the Razon Group. This was designed by Architect Dan Lichauco. The design aims to provide comfortable facility for both patients and medical staff that effectively prevents the community spread of COVID-19. The facility also aims to decongest hospitals. [Photo Credit: Prime BMD & BCDA]
At the start of 2020, it was tragic to hear how our medical frontliners were subjected to a work environment where they are vulnerable to sickness and death due to the COVID-19 threat. One of my childhood friends was the team leader of a COVID-19 ward in a large government hospital in Manila. Before she died in March 2020, she shared in a chat how afraid and exhausted she was to come to work daily as she and her team face an invisible enemy. Their stress level at work was so high. Her story is just one of many stories of fallen heroes during this pandemic. It is also traumatising for medical workers to witness their patients’ great suffering while under their care. While our medial heroes risk their lives daily to save others, who will save them in return?
In the midst of the depressing wave of sad news in 2020, there were private companies in the infrastructure industry that rushed and made a commitment to make things safe and comfortable for both frontliners and patients. This is where infrastructure companies play the role of saving lives and taking strong measures to win this war against COVID-19. They are also our modern-day heroes, just like our medical frontliners.
It was on 30 January 2020 when the Philippines logged its first confirmed case of COVID-19. The patient is a 38-year-old Chinese national who travelled to the Philippines from Wuhan via Hong Kong. Due to the rising numbers in cases, the Philippine government had to declare a nationwide lockdown. On 12 March 2020, President Duterte announced Enhanced Community Quarantine that restricted movement of people and halting all forms of transportation. Then by April, hospitals were already overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients. This situation placed all hospital staff in danger. The most practical solution was to create field hospitals to expand the medial service and to create a safer workplace for the frontliners. [1]
On 7 April 2020, Prime BMD (an affiliate of Prime Infra of the Razon Group) announced that they are converting the Ninoy Aquino Stadium at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex into a Level 2 COVID-19 facility. “Within 15 days, they were able to retrofit 2 indoor arenas and a cruise ship terminal into ‘instant hospitals’ with 530 beds for COVID-19 patients, nurses’ stations, storage facilities, covered outdoor dining areas, and shower and toilet facilities.” [1]
Prime BMD’s achievements as a company were highlighted last 3rd of May 2021 when the Australian Embassy in the Philippines hosted a Virtual Media Briefing. In this online media event, Prime BMD was one of the main presenters. This annual media briefing is a forum where Australian companies from various industries present their report on how they help the Philippines.
On their company profile, Prime BMD is a construction company that builds roads, bridges, ports, buildings, and other infrastructure. Prime BMD is a partnership between the Philippine holding company Prime Metroline Infrastruture Holdings Corporation (Prime Infra) and Australia's largest family-owned contractor BMD Group with over 40 years of experience in the industry. Prime BMD is known for their expertise in in engineering services and project management. The Australian Ambassador, His Excellency Steven J. Robinson AO, mentioned in his speech that the detailed design for the New Government Administrative Center in New Clark City; tunnelling for New Clark City as well, are done by BMD Construction.
Going back to the pandemic response projects, Prime BMD was the first private sector partner to build quarantine facilities called “We Heal As One Centers”. The company led the conversion of several facilities in Manila into Mega Swabbing Centers to help the Philippine government in reading its testing capacity.[1]
The mega quarantine facility has 600 patient cubicles, clean lavatories, a clinic and triage tent, kitchen and mess hall, staff lounge, and other support tents.
A team of 160 worked 24/7 to immediately ramp up isolation capacity in Manila.
By end of 2020, Prime BMD was able to put up nine COVID-19 quarantine and swabbing facilities to help meet the communities’ immediate healthcare needs. [1]
“When they started planning to build the facilities to address the urgent needs in the fight against COVID-19, we volunteered right away. We remain ready if there are groups or institutions or agencies that are willing to work with us to develop such facilities,” said J.V. Emmanuel A. “Jocot” De Dios, Chief Executive Officer of Prime Metro BMD.[1]
While they were constructing these COVID-19 facilities, the company made sure that all workers were safe. This was done by implementing strict protocols and isolation measures at the sites. They were all regularly tested for COVID-19.
“Because of the workers’ dedication, Prime BMD was also able to build the biggest mega quarantine facility in the capital.”
Prime BMD has a Zero Harm goal that promotes safety for their people, the communities and the environment. “Through our Zero Harm goal, Prime BMD aims to ensure each and every person who comes into contact with our business remains safe and in good health whilst in our care… Our Zero Harm goal encourages us to constantly strive to improve our Workplace Health and Safety standards. It allows us to remain vigilant and accept our individual responsibility for improvement of our safety and environmental systems and methodologies.” [2]
With regards to their safety milestones, as of July 2020, PrimeBMD has completed more than 5 million consecutive man hours lost time injury (LTI) free. Since the establishment of the Zero Harm goal, they were able to achieve a 1.91 overall total recordable injury frequency rate (TRIFR).
From the report of the Presidential Communications (Government of the Philippines), Prime Metro BMD Corporation (a construction arm of Razon Group) was also responsible for the building of the quarantine facilities in Solaire-PAGCOR Mega Quarantine Facility in Parañaque City. “The said facility was built with the help of Razon Group, Prime Metro BMD Corporation at Bloomberry Cultural Foundation, Inc. This is the 9th facility that was built by the construction firm.” [3]
On 29 September 2020, the Solaire-PAGCOR Mega Quarantine Center was inaugurated, along with a newly-constructed access road that was completed by Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The facility has a 525-bed capacity, the biggest mega quarantine facility in Metro Manila.
DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar said, "We’d like to recognize the private sector in continuously assisting us in the government vs COVID-19." [3]
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Acknowledgement:
Thank you to Australian Embassy in the Philippines for the invitation to the Virtual Media Briefing and for your media release materials.
Thank you to Sarah Salido, Media Relations Manager of TGSC, for the press materials from the Australian Embassy and Prime BMD.
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Reference:
[1] Video presentation of Prime BMD on their COVID-19 response
[2] Prime BMD Company Profile
[3] Presidential Communications (Government of the Philippines) Facebook page
