City Council okays P77M for COVID-19 response

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

The Iloilo City Council approved on Friday an initial P77 million for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response fund.

The original amount approved by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) was P98 million.

The P77 million is allotted for food supplies, use of medical equipment for the quarantine center, personal protective equipment, laboratory materials, and testing kits, and contingency funds.

Councilor Lady Julie Grace Baronda said food packs will be distributed to volunteers and barangays.

“Daycare workers who are working on our supplemental feeding programs will be tapped to provide food to the barangays to be able to help them distribute,” Baronda said.

The funds are from the 2019 Unexpended Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund and the 2020 Quick Response Fund.

Baronda said the remaining P22 million of the P98-million emergency funding will be tackled by the City Council in its regular session on March 24.

The fund is intended for livelihood support, cash for work programs, and African Swine Fever campaigns,

“The recipients [of the livelihood assistance] are still being finalized. We haven’t discussed it yet, but it is most likely assistance, cash for work program,” Baronda said.

Meanwhile, City Council members raised their concerns over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Councilor Candace Magdalane Tupas was concerned that the policy to let people stay at home is not strictly implemented.

“I am a mother with children and I am still breastfeeding one, how can I be sure that they will be safe?” Tupas asked during the session.

Councilor Jay Treñas responded saying that there is already a response.

“The mayor has spoken to the Liga ng mga Barangay President [Councilor Irene Ong] and has already assured that information had already been disseminated to barangays in their meeting yesterday,” Treñas said.

Treñas also assured that the City Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) is already coming up with ‘fastlanes’ for healthcare workers at checkpoints in city boundaries.

Councilor Rudolf Ganzon raised the concern of expatriating foreigners who were stranded in the city.

“These foreigners are concerned that they want to get back to their home countries to have themselves checked. How will we respond to this knowing that flights to Manila are prohibited?” Ganzon asked.

Baronda said that the Department of Tourism (DOT) is already working on a solution.

“The DOT is currently coordinating with airports and airline companies to make sure they can be transported, especially that embassies have also raised concerns over their country’s citizens being stuck here,” Baronda answered.