ILOILO City – The city government’s war against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been gaining ground.
Mayor Jerry P. Treñas credited the collaboration of the Ilonggo community in bringing down cases in the metropolis.
“We thank and commend the Ilonggos for their cooperation and support as we continue to move forward to heal and recover as one,” Treñas stressed.
“We attribute the best practices to a holistic approach in our COVID-19 response. We now have a faster releasing of swab test results with turnaround time of two days. We have an effective localization of protocols in the barangays. We also initiated rules on a shorter period of wakes and a stricter liquor ban. We have a massive media campaign. We have compliance officers conducting regular rounds,” Treñas said.
The Uswag Iloilo City Molecular Laboratory in Molo district has started processing up to 400 swab samples a day.
An intensified health standards and quarantine protocols campaign has been brought closer to the villages.
The holding of wakes has been limited to a short duration to do away with social and physical distancing.
A regulated liquor ban has been enforced and closure orders imposed on erring establishments.
City Hall-hired compliance officers under the Barangay Affairs Office, Sports Development Office, Green Guards, Task Force ASIS, Task Force on Morals and Values Formation, as well as police personnel and punong barangays augmented the implementation of safety measures to prevent spread of COVID-19.
They issued a total of 5,791 citation tickets to violators from July 2 to Nov. 19, or those apprehended for not wearing facemask and face shield and not observing physical distancing in public.
With efforts in place, the mayor reiterated to residents not to be complacent but always practice proper hygiene and sanitation such as frequent handwashing with soap and use of alcohol or sanitizer, as well as healthy habits to avoid being infected with the virus. (Iloilo City PIO/PN)
