ILOILO City – The city government is now allowing senior citizens – those 60 years old and older – to go to malls and even transact with banks.
“I talked to the managers of banks and malls on June 26 and discussed with them the complaints of our senior citizens,” said Mayor Jerry Treñas.
Senior citizens, however, must observe minimum health safety standards such as the wearing of facemask, observing physical distancing and handwashing, he stressed.
Senior citizens are considered vulnerable to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), thus they have been advised to stay home. Since the easing of quarantine restrictions, however, some expressed the desire to go out of their houses even just to do basic things such as going to the bank.
Treñas himself acknowledged the need for balance.
“May physical and mental well-being nga dapat siguruhon,” he said.
On June 25, Treñas revealed he asked the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to ease the restrictions on the movement of senior citizens in areas considered as low-risk for COVID-19 transmission such as Iloilo City and the rest of Western Visayas.
Since June 1, the region has been under a modified general community quarantine – the transition phase to the “new normal”; restrictions are further relaxed and become less necessary such as limiting people’s movement and public transportation, the operation of industries, and the presence of uniformed personnel to enforce community quarantine.
“I appealed that we start allowing the seniors and minors to get out of houses even for only a given period. This will be good for their physical and mental well-being,” said Treñas.
He, however, reminded the public to continue observing minimum health safety standards because “the enemy is still around us, ara sa gihapon ang virus.”
Not doing this may risk the city seeing a surge in COVID-19 cases, said Treñas, and quarantine restrictions may be reimposed.
“People will again lose their jobs. All our initiatives to revive our economy will be rendered inutile. Let us not allow this to happen,” said Treñas./PN
