SEPTEMBER SURPRISE: Bacolod caught unaware by reversal to MECQ

By Dolly Yasa

 

BACOLOD City – Some residents here took to social media to lament what they claimed as the unexpected declaration of the national Inter-Agency Task Force (NIATF) against COVID-19 placing Bacolod City under the more restrictive Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ).

The declaration was stipulated in a resolution issued late Monday night.

Bacolod has just been reverted to General Community Quarantine status effective Sept 1, 2020 due to the upsurge in coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 cases.

Netizens lamented there was no time to prepare or stock food as the MECQ will run from Sept 8-30, 2020.

In her Facebook post, former councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue said, “Don’t say MECQ like it will solve everything!!! Bisan ano pa nga Q! I don’t care about your Q, Q, Q! Your use of Q’s is making you a laughingstock! MASS QUARANTINE ALONE IS NOT THE SOLUTION. Read global experts strategies – quarantine is pandemic/medical term used for people who are “CONTACT TRACED” and identified as having been in physical contact, in conversation with a positive case in less than 6 feet and more than 15 minutes, those living with a positive case and those exposed to closed environment were droplets are found. These contacts are immediately asked to quarantine within 2 to 3 days from infection WHILE isolation is a term used for all positive case so they can recuperate especially within their infectious period.”

In a video message released by the Public Information Office Tuesday morning, Mayor Evelio Leonardia said that that since the order of the IATF has been issued “the only thing we can do is to implement it.”

Leonardia said that the purpose of the MECQ is for the good of everybody.

The mayor further said that there will be inconveniences and adjustments to be made “but amo na aton nga trade-off para nga makuha naton ang handom nga ma contain or mahagan-hagan ang pagdamo kag paglapta sang COVID-19.”

Leonardia again thanked President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Bong Go for what he claimed as speedy response to his appeal for help to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the city.

He urged the residents of this city to support and cooperate with the moves initiated by DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu and NIATF Chief Implementer Gen. Melquiades Feliciano.

Leonardia said the inconvenience and adjustment are just temporary.