ILOILO City – Mayor Jerry Treñas ordered a temporary halt to the processing of the return of Iloilo City residents stranded in Metro Manila, Cebu and elsewhere due to community quarantine.
Information reached the mayor that these residents – referred to as “locally stranded individuals” or LSIs – were not keen on observing the 14-day quarantine required of all returning residents.
“Naga-worry kita. Indi sila kuno magpa-quarantine. So untaton ta anay ang flights until they agree nga mapa-quarantine,” said Treñas yesterday.
The city’s chief executive hoped that the LSIs would understand that the mandatory quarantine aims not to inconvenience them but to protect fellow residents of the city from the possible spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Thus, said Treñas, it is either the LSIs agree to a two-week quarantine or wait wherever they are currently stranded until the COVID-19 pandemic has ceased.
Latest data from the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6 showed that this city has five remaining active COVID-19 cases from a total of 19 confirmed cases since recording started in March. Thirteen already recovered while only one case died.
All the five active cases are being quarantined by the city government.
COVID-19 can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales.
These droplets also land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.
Should the LSIs agree to undergo quarantine, Treñas said he would immediately order the resumption of the processing of these Ilonggos’ return to the city.
Related to this effort, Treñas yesterday issued Executive Order (EO) No. 083 creating an ad hoc committee.
The committee is composed of the following:
* overall chairperson – Mayor Jerry Treñas
* vice chairperson (for returning overseas workers) – Franco Anthony Agudo of Iloilo City Planning and Development Office
* vice chairperson (for LSIs) – Jeck Conlu of the Public Safety and Transportation Management Office
* members – Dr. Roland Fortuna (Iloilo City COVID-19 focal person); Dr. Anabelle Tang (City Health Office); Anabelle Rosario Blancaflor (Special Assistant to the City Mayor); Atty. GV Eutiquio Cuñada (City Legal Office)
Treñas tasked them to do the following:
a. Meet regularly to discuss the implementation of guidelines and protocols for returning residents, be these LSIs or overseas workers.
b. Formulate specific safety guidelines to prevent the spread and local transmission of COVID-19.
c. Coordinate with private and government offices regarding the names, history, COVID-19 testing, accommodation and other important details about the returning residents.
d. Coordinate with their counterparts from other local government units (LGUs) and agencies tasked to monitor and manage the COVID-19 situation in the Philippines, regarding the travel details of the returning residents.
e. Submit regular reports to the City Mayor and the City Council or as frequent as the situation may require.
f. Recommend to the City Mayor and the City Council for the passage, issuance, formulation, and adoption of policies, measures and legislation to ensure the minimal risk of local transmission of COVID-19 which may be triggered by the arrivals of returning residents.
Just this May 11, Treñas issued Memorandum Order No. 145 setting guidelines for the processing of returning residents from enhanced and general community quarantine areas.
These were the guidelines or requirements:
* barangay certificate of residency duly verified by the Iloilo City COVID-19 operation center
* certificate issued by the LGU Health Unit of the place of origin that the returnee has completed the 14-day quarantine and does not exhibit signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
* undertaking that returnee shall undergo mandatory RT-PCR test upon arrival in Iloilo City and shall be subject to quarantine
* certificate issued by the City Mayor allowing the returnee to enter Iloilo City
* negative COVID-19 reverse transcription–polymerase chain reactiontest result (only for those from areas under enhanced community quarantine)/PN
