ILOILO City – The city government conducted a flag-raising ceremony yesterday morning, over roughly three months after the metro was placed under strict community quarantine to avert transmission of coronavirus disease 2019.
“Gusto ko makita na sang tanan nga naga-amat-amat na kita balik sa normal,” said Mayor Treñas Jerry during Monday’s activity.
Sangguniang Panlungsod members, city hall department heads and employees were all present.
While the city aims to shift to the “new normal,” Treñas stressed that health protocols should be ensured.
“Mag-observe sang social distancing, use face mask and alcohol all the time para sigurado man ang health sang tanan naton nga mga pumoluyo,” the mayor said.
He assured that transactions at the city hall offices are ongoing and minimum health standards are in place.
Treñas mentioned his plans to create programs that would cushion the mental impact of quarantine.
He said this is one of the reasons why he allowed the elderly and youngsters to go out of their homes during the general modified community quarantine (MGCQ).
Treñas recently issued Executive Order No. 086-B, Series of 2020 reiterating the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on the movement of people under MGCQ.
Senior citizens (those 60 years old and older) and youngsters (those below 21 years old) here may go out of their houses but only for the following reasons:
* to buy basic necessities
* if they are going to work
* to stroll or exercise at the Iloilo Esplanade
According to Treñas, compliance officers won’t apprehend these segments of the population if their reasons for leaving their houses were among those he cited.
“Indi sila pagdakpon, aton guro sa syudad indi kita magdakop, masaway lang kita. We have to be considerate, pila na ka bulan nabukot ang aton tigulang, ang mga vulnerable sector in society but kinahanglan man sila hatagan tyansa,” Treñas said.
Treñas also said he had not ordered compliance officers to be strict and immediately apprehend people not observing physical distancing or not wearing facemask.
The city government has mobilized over 200 compliance officers to ensure that people minimum public health safety standards such as the wearing of facemask, observing physical distancing and frequent handwashing.
These measures can curb the spread of coronavirus disease 2019, according to the Department of Health./PN
