ILOILO – The municipal government of Dumangas has prohibited gambling of any kind during funeral wakes.
The goal, according to Mayor Ronaldo Golez, is to prevent large gatherings of people that would make physical distancing difficult.
Physical distancing is one of the public health safety measures against the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
In Executive Order No. 62 issued yesterday banning gambling in wakes, Golez invoked Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.’s Executive Order No. 183 dated Aug. 17, 2020 (“An order implementing the Plan for Rehabilitation and Transformation of the Province of Iloilo to Catalyze Recovery in a Regime of Modified General Community Quarantine until Aug. 31, 2020 towards a new normal”).
Section 14 of EO No. 183 read: “Funeral wake gatherings shall only be limited to family members. Public view gaming, gambling and walking funeral processions shall not be allowed.”
Aside from banning gambling, Golez also ordered the following:
* Prolonged funeral wakes are discouraged. Days of wake shall be limited to visitors.
* Funeral wake visits by persons other than immediate family members are allowed but subject to curfew hours and minimum health standards.
* Minimum public health standards in the movement of persons shall be observed in reference to Section 2 of EO No. 183. The movement of persons shall observe the 3M strategy: magmaskara (wear facemask), magdistansya (observe physical distancing), manghinaw (wash hands).
Golez ordered Dumangas’ 45 barangay captains and police force to strictly enforce the ban and apprehend violators.
Recently, Golez learned that a COVID-positive man was able to visit two wakes – in Barangay Jardin on Aug. 14 and 15 and in Barangay Cayos on Aug. 16 and 17.
At the wake in Barangay Jardin, said Golez, this man was able to mingle with two Sangguniang Bayan (SB) members and a barangay captain.
“Nag-updanay…sa isa ka lamesa. So, close contact or high-risk gid ang duha ka SB members kag isa ka barangay captain,” said Golez.
People who have exposure to the COVID-positive man may be living in any of 18 barangays Golez identified as Rosario, P.D Monfort North, Tabucan, P.D. Monfort South, Cali, Sapao, Jardin, Talusan, Cayos, Mabini, Ermita, Cansilayan, Lacturan, Ilaya 3rd, Bantud, Managuit, Sulangan, and Regidor.
This was why he ordered a wider contact tracing, said Golez.
The COVID-positive man was one of the five close contacts of a 54-year-old woman from Barangay Talusan who tested positive for COVID-19.
The four others were 15-year-old lad, a 37-year-old female, a 75-year-old male, and a 24-year-old male.
The 54-year-old female COVID case worked at the National Irrigation Administration Region 6 based in Iloilo City./PN
