Hotel Owners are Undecided to Accept Proposal Converting Hotels into Hospitals
The Philippine Hotel Owners Association Inc expressed doubts if they can accept the proposal converting hotels into temporary hospitals.
Philippine Hotel Owners Association president Arthur Lopez said in an interview on state-run PTV’s Laging Handa briefing on Saturday that the industry can accommodate the proposal amid the loss of their revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The national medical doctors earlier proposed to the president that hotels in National Capital Region (NCR) could turn into temporary hospitals for virus patients as the main hospitals are already filled up and can’t accommodate additional positive patients.
“To convert hotels into hospitals, that’s going to be very difficult kasi maraming kailangan to support patients. I don’t know but ang problema wala tayong maibibigay na hotel dahil kawawa naman ang OFWs natin,” he added.
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The hotel industry leader said that hotels in the NCR were fully-booked because OWWA “Overseas Workers Welfare Administration” has taken over these hotels for OFWs that are returning back to the country, “so we can’t give any hotel para gawing isolation facilities.”
“Fully booked also because we do not mix quarantine guests and regular guests dahil baka maghawa-hawa (they might infect each other) so very limited ang available rooms ngayon (the available rooms are very limited for now),” he added.
Lopez said hotels have lost nearly 80% to 90% of their revenue since last year and their deal with OWWA to repatriate returning OFWs is just enough for them to pay their employees and utility bills.
He added that the hotel owners are ready to support the government. Lopez said the group supports the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) in setting isolation facilities at Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, and the University of the Philippines by providing bed sheets and toiletries.
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