SELF-QUARANTINE. Employees check the temperature of the people transacting business at the Liloan Municipal Hall on Wednesday (March 18, 2020), as town Mayor Christina Garcia-Frasco undergoes enhanced social distancing and self-quarantine. Frasco said she and 34 other town mayors who attended the March 9 general assembly of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines in Manila decided to take self-precautionary measures after their colleague, Baliwag, Bulacan Mayor Ferdie Estrella, was found positive of Covid-19. (Photo courtesy of Live Love Liloan Facebook page)
CEBU CITY – The president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Cebu Chapter and 34 other town mayors in the province are undergoing enhanced social distancing and self-quarantine.
Mayor Christina Garcia-Frasco of the northern Cebu town of Liloan, who is president of LMP-Cebu, said the decision came after they received confirmation from the LMP National Chapter on Tuesday that Baliwag, Bulacan Mayor Ferdie Estrella was found positive of the new coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
LMP members from all over the country met for an event in Manila last March 9.
“It has been nine days since the General Assembly and none of us 35 mayors have manifested any symptoms. Nonetheless, it is out of an abundance of caution that we have agreed to do enhanced social distancing and self-quarantine,” Frasco said in a statement.
According to her, the recent event was held in a 3,000-square meter convention hall of the Marriot Hotel in Manila and they were assured that all health and safety protocols were done.
Frasco said the 35 municipal mayors in Cebu, including herself, were cautious and assured that they never had any personal contact or physical interaction with the mayor of Baliwag.
She said that even prior to finding out about Estrella’s health condition, the mayors from Cebu who attended the LMP general assembly in Manila have already practiced social distancing.
In carrying out their functions as local chief executives, Frasco said they observed self-quarantine in their respective towns.
“The health and safety of the Cebuanos in our respective towns is our top priority. After deliberations over the weekend via electronic means, we have united to adopt Uniform Guidelines for all 44 municipalities during the state of public health emergency consistent with the issuances of the President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Governor Gwen Garcia,” she said.
As all contingency plans are put in place, Frasco said the town mayors are securing their respective borders and implementing strict preventive measures such as curfew, quarantine, and cancellation of public gatherings.
“We will continue to work together with our LGUs to ensure that we carry out mitigation measures to protect the welfare of our people. We are all in this together, and we will get through this together,” she added. (PNA)
