LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The provincial government will respect the decision of President Rodrigo R. Duterte to extend the prevailing enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the province, which includes Baguio City, up to May 15, 2020 to pave the way for the implementation of stringent measures that will prevent the increase in the number of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases.
Gov. Melchor D. Diclas pointed out that the decision of the President to include Benguet, including Baguio City, in the high-risk areas where the ECQ will be extended is actually for the good of everyone as government would like to ensure that the spread of the deadly virus will be under control.
“We will respect the decision of the President to extend the ECQ in Benguet, including Baguio City, so that we will be able to continue implementing the stringent quarantine guidelines that will eventually prevent the spread of the virus,” Gov. Diclas stressed.
Based on the data obtained from the Cordillera office of the Health Department (DOH-CAR), Benguet has only 3 confirmed COVID cases where all of the affected individuals were already able to recover while Baguio City has 18 cases where 12 persons were able to recover, 5 individuals are still considered to be active cases and 1 person died due to COVID.
However, the governor disclosed that the local government will try to make representations with the inter-agency task force on emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases to lift the ban on construction to allow the resumption of private and public infrastructure projects so that contractors will be able to mitigate the critical portions of their projects that pose a threat to the safety of the public, especially with the onset of the rainy season.
On the other hand, President Duterte downgraded the ECQ to general community quarantine in Abra, Apayao, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province as the 4 provinces, except Abra, were able to maintain their COVID-free status for over a month now.
Officers of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Benguet Chapter supported the decision of Gov. Diclas to respect the recent pronouncement of the President extending the prevailing ECQ, saying that there is still a need to continue strictly implementing the existing quarantine rules as the health and safety of the populace is still at stake.
LMP Secretary-General and Mankayan Mayor Frenzel Ayong pointed out that it is important for all municipalities not to put their guards down as it is the ultimate way of sustaining their gains in the fight against COVID and preventing the occurrence of untoward incidents that will have an impact on their being free from the illness.
Of the province’s 13 municipalities, La Trinidad was the only town that registered the 3 confirmed COVID cases since the start of the implementation of the Luzonwide ECQ.
Aside from pursuing the implementation of the stringent quarantine rules, Ayong claimed that it is also equally important for all local governments to prepare their respective transition and recovery plans that will be aligned with the agreed programs and projects that will be spearheaded by the provincial inter-agency task force on the management of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases on jumpstarting the province’s economy on a gradual and calibrated manner.
By HENT
