KALIBO, Aklan – For a month, three towns in Aklan province are not accepting returning locally stranded individuals (LSIs).
According to the mayors of the local government units (LGUs) of Buruanga, Malay and Numancia, their quarantine facilities are being overwhelmed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.
The moratorium on the return of LSIs will give them time to decongest their facilities and also give their healthcare workers a chance to reenergize.
Buruanga mayor Concepcion Labindao issued an executive order on Dec. 3 for the temporary stoppage of LSIs’ return in her municipality.
The northern town of Buruanga logged nine new cases on Dec. 6 from an 83-year-old man who died of COVID-19 on Dec. 1.
“Given the limited capacity of our Ligtas COVID Center, it becomes expedient to suspend the issuance of the Notice of Coordination for LSIs. Let us all be vigilant, follow our health protocols and, if not necessary to go outside, stay at home,” Labindao said.
The suspension of arrivals of returning residents in Buruanga took effect on Dec. 5, 2020 and it will be until Jan. 2, 2021.
Numancia town mayor Jeserel Templonuevo also issued a similar executive order but the suspension period is from Dec. 15, 2020 to Jan. 14, 2021.
The town has the second highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Aklan with 34, including two fatalities.
Meanwhile, Malay acting town mayor Frolibar Bautista decided to suspend the return of LSIs from Dec. 5, 2020 to Jan. 4, 2021.
As of Dec. 9, Aklan had 355 confirmed COVID-19 cases (cumulative figures since recording started in March). It currently has 96 active cases and 247 recovered cases./PN
