The emergency room of the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center will temporarily close from 24 May to 1 June to undergo critical facility repairs and upgrades, city officials announced Thursday.

Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso announced the closure during his “Talk to the People” broadcast, saying that the local government spent weeks trying to find a way to renovate the emergency room without suspending operations, but officials consistently concluded that doing so would be unsafe.

Domagoso said he decided to bite the bullet and close the facility briefly because keeping it open during construction was not safe for patients, doctors, or hospital workers.

He added that officials tried every strategy and method to avoid disrupting the emergency room, but a full closure was the only viable option.

City Health Officer Dr. Grace Padilla said patients who require emergency medical care will be redirected to six other public hospitals run by the local government unit during the renovation period.