MANILA, Philippines [30 March 2020] — The University of the Philippines Manila Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) launched today a dedicated 24/7 hotline number, 155200, for its COVID-19 Bayanihan Operations Center

Through the hotline service, UP PGH aims to provide assistance to the public and manage the influx of patients to its COVID health care center , by enabling those who are ill to call and consult with professionals regarding the symptoms they are experiencing, without having to check in at the hospital.

The hotline is also a channel through which the hospital can accept donations such as those for personal protective equipment and other badly needed supplies.

(IN PHOTO: The said inauguration took place at the UP-PGH Nurses’ Home, which has been converted into the COVID-19 Bayaniihan Operations Center)

The hot line service is a joint effort between UP-PGH’s in-house IT team and PLDT’s Enterprise Business Group, which provided a dedicated hotline number, connectivity and the call center IT platform.

It will operate 24 hours daily and can accommodate 20 simultaneous calls at a time, in support of the tasks of the COVID-19 Bayanihan Operations Center which is also open 24/7. The hotline will be manned by UP PGH volunteers.

UP PGH set up its operations center in line with the direction of the Department of Health to designate key government hospitals as referral facilities to handle COVID-19 patients. The other referral hospitals are the San Lazaro Hospital and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.

During the inauguration of the facility, University of the Philippines President Atty. Danilo Concepcion shared a message of hope and thanksgiving saying, "Upang magsilbing sentro na tagapag-ugnay ng ating sama-samang pagkilos, inilulunsad po natin ngayong umaga ang UP-PGH COVID19 operations center. Hindi natin magagawa ito kung hindi natin katulong ang PLDT, na pinamumunuan ni Ginoong Manny Pangilinan, na naghandog sa atin ng mga linya ng komunikasyon at mga makabagong internet application."

Likewise, in his message read at the launch ceremony of the operations center, PLDT Chairman & CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan said: “We look forward to working even more closely with you and providing innovative communication tools that will help you become even more effective in caring for our people in these very difficult times.”

He added, "Allow me to extend our most profound and deeply felt gratitude to all of you for the for the invaluable and irreplaceable service that you are providing our people and the country.”