Doctor lauds Cebu hotels’ efforts in pandemic fight

CEBU, Philippines —  Infectious Disease specialist Dr. Bryan Albert Lim lauded Cebu hotels’ help in easing hospital density, saying the sectors’ gesture help Cebu mitigate the spread of the virus.

According to Lim, Cebu hotels’ decision to offer their rooms as isolation facilities with Department of Health (DOH) approved caregivers and equipment is a tremendous help why Cebu is able to manage the virus contamination and allow hospitals to take care of patients without being overwhelmed.

 “Our private sector [particularly hotels] have stepped up and help expand the bed capacity,” said Lim, who is one of Cebu’s infectious disease specialists in Cebu and has been at the forefront in fighting the spread of COVID-19 in Metro Cebu.

Lim also acknowledged the good team of contact tracers here, whose jobs are also risky.

“We managed to mitigate [well] the second wave of spike without having to declare lockdown,” said Lim.

In an interview with HRRAC president Alfred Reyes, he said more hotel properties have committed to offer their rooms as isolation facilities in order to provide patients alternative choice for isolation accommodation, aside from the government-managed facilities and hospitals.

For this particular program, HRRAC and individual hotel management are closely working with DOH in making sure that hotels’ staff remain safe while accepting asymptomatic COVID-19 positive patients, Reyes clarified.

Depending on the category of the hotel, daily charges range from P2,500 to P5,000 with corresponding package inclusions such as food and access to fast internet connection, among others.

This move was strongly pursued by hoteliers to sustain their business amid the insufficient room revenues since the onset of the pandemic.

According to Reyes, this business diversion is seen to help hotels retain their workers, instead of streamlining them.

He said there are individuals, especially those who can afford, and prioritize comfort who are willing to invest for a hotel isolation option.

Meanwhile, in the National Capital Region (NCR), hotel owners said their rooms are fully booked.

In an interview with ABS-CBN teleradyo, Philippine Hotel Owners Association president Arthur Yap said that all hotels in NCR, are fully booked “we can’t anymore give the rooms” for isolation purposes.

In Cebu however, Reyes said more hotels expressed interest to offer their rooms as isolation facilities, if needed.