MANKAYAN, Benguet – The municipal government will be resuming the regular conduct of the local health board meeting to ensure that pressing health and safety issues are provided with timely response to allow the gradual and safe revival of the local economy that was heavily impacted by the ongoing Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Mayor Frenzel A. Ayong disclosed this should not mean residents can be lenient in their compliance to the minimum public health standards because of the drastic decline in COVID-19 cases, but they should be reminded not to be complacent as it might cause future surges in cases and put back all the gains so far in the fight to contain the virus.
He pointed out that the ongoing decline in COVID-19 cases and the continuous downgrading of the alert level status of many parts of the country is a good indication there are bright prospects for economic recovery but the fact remains that the compliance of the public to minimum public health standards will be part of everyday life.
The municipal chief executive claimed that health officials will be providing the concerned sectors with the present status of the pandemic, the prevailing and upcoming alert levels in the different parts of the country and the recommendations and suggestions on how to contain the future surges in cases of various illnesses.
According to him, the meeting will allow concerned sectors to help the concerned government agencies and the municipal government to cascade to the people on the ground important reminders that will guide them in deciding what will be the best option to ensure their health and safety.
Mayor Ayong stipulated the public should be well informed on the latest health and safety issues that affect their daily lives and concerned sectors should be willing to actively participate in the information and education campaign on health issues and concerns for them to assist the agencies and the local government in updating them on health and safety issues.
He rallied the barangay officials and health workers to be actively involved in regular health board meeting for them to be appraised on the latest trends on health and safety to keep their constituents well informed on how to prevent their health from being compromised.
He underscored that people must always be alert on the latest issues and concerns on health and safety for them to know what to do to protect them from contracting illnesses that might compromise their health.
Mankayan is one of the towns that have recorded significant decreases in the number of COVID-19 cases following the recent surge triggered by the more infectious and more transmissible Omicron variant that existed in the country late last year to the middle of January this year.
Photo by Joseph Awal