The Cotabato City Hall (PNA file photo)
COTABATO CITY – With health, military and police personnel in place at entry points here, local officials have trained their sights on the implementation of a barangay level community quarantine against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi said the “modified community quarantine” requires all the 37 villages to designate one entry and exit point in their areas where they will be putting up checkpoints.
The checkpoints will be manned by village watchmen and representatives from their Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs).
“The barangay watchmen will be the one to inspect all the people and vehicles that will enter their areas while BHERT members ensure that everyone will undergo thermal scanning,” the mayor said.
Guiani-Sayadi said going down to the barangay level will be more effective in the fight against Covid-19, as the scheme also ensures that people who are considered as persons under monitoring (PUMs) will be closely watched.
She said the barangay level monitoring could lead to easy contact tracing in case of another Covid-19 case.
Currently, the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center has one Covid-19 patient in its isolation facility.
Meanwhile, the city will also be issuing home quarantine passes to all households as another way of minimizing the movements of people.
Every household must report to their respective barangay halls for them to receive one or two passes, depending on the size of the family.
Family members who will be holding the passes are the ones authorized to go out and do the errands and buying the needs of their family.
Residents are still encouraged to stay at home and follow the guidelines being implemented.
Commercial establishments are also required to have their own safety measures like social distancing, thermal scanning at their entrances, and providing disinfectants like alcohol and hand sanitizers to all their clients.
Curfew hours from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. will continue to be in effect.
Those affected by the social distancing rule like drivers of motorcycle taxis and other daily earners are advised to register with their barangays for regular food rations.
“Purok” or zone leaders are tasked to distribute food rations to the majority of villagers in their barangays.
Those declared as PUMs will also be given their food rations regularly through the city social welfare office.
“All checkpoints in the city are still in place and will still be following the guidelines issued by the anti-Covid-19 task force. Any concerns regarding the movement of people and goods at the borders must be directed to them,” the mayor said. (PNA)
