LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The municipal government is not inclined to relax the prevailing community quarantine restrictions and the minimum health and safety protocols to prevent the further spread of the dreaded COVID-19 that might compromise the local health care system and unduly stress the health workers.
Mayor Romeo K. Salda stated that residents and visitors must continue wearing their face masks when in closed and crowded places to ensure their health and safety and prevent them from contracting the deadly virus.
He claimed that the local government will await whatever future orders that will emanate from the concerned government agencies and the inter-agency task force so that whatever restrictions that will be implemented will be aligned with the national directives.
Mayor Salda stipulated that COVID-19 is still a public health issue of international concern that is why there is still a need to sustain the implementation of the minimum public health standards such as the wearing of face masks, observance of physical distancing and the practice of personal hygiene and regular disinfection of homes and workplaces.
According to him, people should be reminded that Benguet where La Trinidad is located is still under Alert Level 2 where the community quarantine restrictions are more stringent, especially on the occupancy of establishments and gatherings, that is why there is no reason for anyone to be complacent to avoid the occurrence of untoward incidents that may trigger surges in cases.
He pointed out that while there is leniency in the implementation of the minimum public health standards, it is inherent upon individuals to continue wearing their face masks in crowded and closed places, particularly hospitals, buildings, meeting places, among others, to help in preventing the further spread of the deadly virus.
Mayor Salda reminded the public to learn from the lessons of the series of lockdowns that were implemented in the different parts of the world from 2020 to 2021 just to contain the rapid spread of the virus because people no longer want to go back to these scenarios as it will eventually derail all the gains of economic recovery that started the past several months.
La Trinidad is the capital town of Benguet and is the center of trade and commerce, being adjacent to Baguio City, the country’s undisputed Summer Capital.
The mayor underscored that all efforts of concerned government agencies and local governments are geared towards recovery and resilience but the same are said to be on a gradual and safe basis to avoid the occurrence of untoward incidents that might trigger untoward incidents causing unnecessary surges in cases.
Earlier, the World health Organization (WHO) still declared that COVID-19 is still a public health issue of international concern because of the increase in cases in some countries.
Salda asserted that the local government and stakeholders can no longer afford the implementation of lockdowns that is why the government is working hard to convince the people to be patient in complying with the minimum public health standards for the overall health and safety of the people.
