RDRRMC-6 chief nixes WV ‘lockdown’

By Jennifer P. Rendon

As chairman of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council 6 (RDRRMC-6), Jose Roberto Nuñez will not push for the lockdown of Western Visayas amid the threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Well, at least for now.

Nuñez said he doesn’t see the need to recommend that the region would be locked down to prevent the entry of the dreaded virus.

But it all depends on the assessment of the Department of Health.

“Sabi nga sa pronouncement ng Presidente (Rodrigo Duterte), the one who knows this is the DOH (Department of Health) because they’re the ones assessing the situation. Whatever there recommendation is, we would go for it. But for now, I don’t see the one of a lockdown,” he said.

Nuñez said Western Visayas is still COVID-19-free.

“Pero kung may positive case na, halimbawa na lang, ‘yan we might consider a lockdown.”

When asked if they are prepared for a worst case scenario like a lockdown, Nuñez answered yes.

But he admitted that the RDRRMC hasn’t come up or even drafted a contingency plan for such scenario.

The council members are yet to meet on March 16.

“Hindi pa naman sya delayed kasi meron namang tayong ginagawa eh,” he said claiming that each agency is doing its share but their reports have not been consolidated into a contingency plan.

But Nuñez said there have been series of meeting in the past days.

“Pero wala silang action taken na pinalabas,” he said referring to DOH in the region.

“So, ang unang gawin natin is tulungan ang DOH to formulate a contingency plan. In the first place, if we don’t have a contingency, we will find it hard to address the needs like facilities and the likes,” he said.

Nuñez said that each agency-member should know what they should adopt or do if worse comes to worst.

“Like the food, logistics. Could we tap the hotels? We should be looking for the worst scenario if the situation escalated,” he said.

On January 24, when China reported the new strain of coronavirus, Nuñez said he issued a memorandum for member agencies to draft their preparation plans.

He said only a few responded.

Nuñez said there was an apparent lukewarm reception. “Kaya nga, sabi ko, di we have to wait for it?”

On Friday, March 13, Nuñez issued a memorandum “raising the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Council (RDRRMOC) to  blue alert status due to COVID-19” effective 8:00 a.m. of March 14.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the “Philippine National Police (PNP), the Coast Guard District – Western Visayas (CGDWV), and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) are hereby to send detailed duty officers at the RDRRMC-6 EOC to ensure continuous coordination and assist in facilitating the submission of consolidated response actions of your respective species.”

The memorandum also called for local DRRM Councils to raise their respective Operations Center to closely monitor, consolidate, and report all related incidents, as well as ensure prompt coordination with concerned agencies and offices.

They were also told to ensure that their respective regional evacuation centers are prepared as part of pre-emptive measures.