ILOILO City – A picture paints a thousand words and for Mayor Jerry Treñas, the viral photo of city government officials not observing physical distancing during a mass gathering at the Iloilo City Freedom Grandstand on Tuesday did not tell the whole story of what really happened.
“Sa picture-taking lang na,” Treñas told Panay News.
The chief of the city government’s Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO), however, did not share Treñas’ view. Jeck Conlu admitted lapses in physical distancing.
The event was the distribution of financial assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to indigent beneficiaries in the city. The assistance was coursed through the city’s social welfare office.
Treñas said physical distancing was observed even by the beneficiaries and there were “compliance officers” who made sure they did.
The distribution of financial assistance is for three days beginning Tuesday. There are some 15,000 beneficiaries.
“There are photos, too, that showed social distancing was followed,” said Treñas who, just last week, did not allow the holding here of a military-organized peace summit with some 1,000 attendees because he said mass gathering is not allowed in areas under general community quarantine such as this city.
At the end of Tuesday’s distribution of the DSWD assistance, a group photo of the city officials – with other personalities rumored to be seeking elective posts in the upcoming 2020 elections – was taken.
It was “for documentation,” said Treñas.
Conlu said city officials quickly gathered themselves when it was announced that a group photo of them would be taken, and they forgot to observe physical distancing.
But they quickly dispersed after their picture was taken, he stressed.
Conlu vowed to make sure physical distancing is observed today, the last day of distribution of the DSWD financial assistance.
“Bisan photo ops ma-practice gid sang social distancing,” said Conlu.
One of the city officials in the photo was Councilor Ely Estante. He, too, admitted that physical distancing was not maintained during the mass gathering although there were compliance officers.
Estante said he already discussed this with Conlu who, as PSTMO heads, also oversees the compliance officers.
He expressed hope that today, the final day of distribution of the financial assistance, physical distancing would be fully enforced and maintained up to the end of the activity.
Estante also admitted not wearing a face shield during the photo opportunity on Tuesday.
“Nalipat ko isuksok kay gaistoryahanay kami sang kilid ko kag gulpi lang nag-photo op. Nagtindog na lang ko kag mag-posing,” said Estante over radio station DYRI RMN Iloilo.
The city councilor, who authored the city’s ordinance making mandatory the wearing of facemask and face shield in public places, apologized.
“Basi mahambal kamo nagwaslik poder ko kay ako ang author sina (ordinance). Unay na ya sa tawo ang kalipatan,” he said.
Aside from Treñas, Estante and Conlu, other city officials in the photo were Cong. Julienne Baronda, Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon, councilors Jojo Javellana and Rudolph Ganzon, Executive Assistant for Barangay Affairs Boyet Rico, and barangay captains Roberto Niño Jr. of Calumpang, Molo and John Eric David of Veterans Village, City Proper.
Also in the picture were Treñas’ children Raisa and Miguel, and businessman Johny Young./PN
