President Rodrigo Duterte has directed the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. to cover patients who are being catered at the tents in the hospital premises, Malacanang said on Tuesday.

Duterte gave the directive after complaints that patients waiting to be admitted in some hospitals and have been temporarily placed inside tents have been charged but could not be covered by PhilHealth.

"The President gave the directive to Philippine Health Insurance Corporation that the RT-PCR test, isolation in accredited community isolation units, and hospitalization for mild and critical COVID-19 cases are included in the health insurance coverage," said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a press briefing.

"In relation to this, if the tents are included in the in-patient care, they should be covered by the current in-patient COVID-19 package," he added.

Roque also said that more beds have been constructed for the COVID-19 patients.

He noted that in Quezon Institute, 110 beds have been prepared for the moderate and serious COVID-19 patients.

Roque said to be opened this week are the Subic Manila Times College with 300-bed capacity; New Clark City with additional 165 beds; Eva Macapagal Terminal Manila with 200 beds; and Bataan Port Terminal with 100 beds. Celerina Monte/DMS