Laoag council oks measures vs COVID-19

By Dominic B. dela Cruz (Staff Reporter)

Laoag City—As the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continue to increase in this city, the Sangguniang Panlungsod passed three resolutions, which Laoag mayor Michael M. Keon earlier certified as urgent.

 

Public jeepneys to transport APORs within the city

Foremost among these is the granting of authority to the mayor to sign a memorandum of agreement with Laoag jeepney operators and drivers to ferry authorized persons outside residence (APOR) from the city’s boundaries to designated unloading areas, and vice versa.

Laoag councilor Edison Bonoan, the council’s transportation committee chair and the measure’s sponsor said the MOA will last until the provincial government lifts the localized modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) that took effect on Nov. 27, 2020.

Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc’s localized MECQ order bars public transportation from entering the city.

As a result, APORs who do not have private vehicles encountered problems travelling to the city.

Jeepney operators in the city then offered their services to ferry the APORs from the boundaries to their designated destination to the city government, which welcomed the proposal.

The city government’s budget officer Nelda Casas said they will contract 17 jeepneys that will receive PHP1,000 per day until the expiration of the MECQ in the city.

Ms. Casas said they will source the budget for this either from the city’s calamity fund or in the disaster and response fund.

 

P1M realignment

In relation to this, Laoag councilor Jaybee Baquiran sponsored a measure for the reprogramming and realignment of PHP1 million pesos as part of the 70 percent allocation for disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness response, rehabilitation and recovery of the calamity fund for 2020 which was for the projects, programs and activities (PPAs) to combat COVID-19 in the city.

Mr. Baquiran, the committee on public calamities chair, said the amount will be realigned to procure disinfectants, sprayers and other disinfecting supplies, misting equipment, kits for COVID-19 testing, PPEs and medical supplies.

 

COVID-19 fatalities’ cemetery

The city council likewise approved a resolution for the establishment of a cemetery for COVID-19 victims.

Mr. Baquiran said “every individual deserves a proper and dignified management of his/her remains regardless of creed, ethnicity, race and religious beliefs”.

He added that COVID-19 victims will be given cemetery plots for free.

City government planning officer-in-charge Ruby Bonalade said the proposed cemetery for COVID-19 victims is at Brgy. 1, a land located behind the Maharlika Cemetery.

Ms. Bonalade said the 375 square-meter land is far from residential houses.   

Relative to this, Mr. Keon continues to meet with Laoag police chief P/Lt. Col. Rafael Lero, Dr. Joseph Adaya, the contact tracing teams and other heads of offices in charge of COVID-19 response to discuss plans for the city’s efforts to mitigate and curb the spread of COVID-19.

While waiting for the full implementation of the jeepneys to ferry APORs, the mayor went around with the PGIN-MINC to inspect shuttles, which the provincial government provided as additional vehicles to help commuters.

Mr. Keon also ordered the Laoag City public Market closed down again after seven more market vendors and staff tested positive for COVID-19.

 

Mass testing

Of the 518 individuals that the city government swab-tested on Nov. 30, 2020, eight tested positive; with six of them from the market while the other two were walk-ins.

Mr. Adaya confirmed the two walk-ins who tested positive were related to market vendors.

The city government offers free and daily swab testing in different areas around the city. 

On Dec. 3, 2020, the city government conducted free swab testing at Brgy. 7-A, Bacsil South and at the Laoag City General Hospital; they tested 347 individuals.

In line with the Mr. Manotoc’s EO No. 104-20 series of 2020, Mr. Keon also issued EO No. MMK-075 providing the guidelines and barangay checkpoints, accessing essential goods and services and the operation of public transportation in the city during the MECQ.