By Emme Rose Santiagudo
Apart from fears of getting sick, how heavy is the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on Ilonggos?
Pretty heavy to the point that local government units (LGUs) and other institutions imposed drastic measures to avoid local or community spread of the disease.
In Iloilo City, the LGU is maximizing its efforts to prevent the entry of COVID-19 by suspending classes and implementing strict protocols on public and private establishments.
Mayor Jerry Treñas on Friday announced the suspension of classes in all levels in the metro starting on March 16 to March 31, 2020 through Executive Order No. 049.
During the suspension, the mayor said all personnel and students shall be strongly advised to practice voluntary quarantine at home to avoid crowded places or public gatherings.
The suspension will allow the schools and establishments to disinfect their buildings and classrooms, he said.
But the mayor said the move is not a lockdown.
“This is not lockdown in Iloilo City. We are not locking down Iloilo City. We are just calling off the classes for the last 14 days. Ini para malimpyuhan ang eskwelahan, ginapangayo ta nga i-sanitize,” he said.
During the 14-day period, Treñas said the city government will seek help from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) to ensure that students will be barred from malls, bars, coffee shops, and other similar establishments.
“We will ask for the IDs when they go to the mall and kon makita nga kabataan sila, papulion lang anay sila,” he added.
Under the EO, the city government through its respective departments reserve the right to inspect malls, bars, coffee shops, computer shops and other establishments for compliance with the executive order and shall enforce appropriate penalties on said establishments.
The mayor also reiterated that all mass gatherings in the city are prohibited.
He issued EO No. 048 on Wednesday amending EO No. 038 extending the ban to mass gatherings, social events like barangay fiesta, rallies, and school activities.
Treñas warned that establishments which will to continue to organize big gatherings and fail to comply with the EO will face closure.
“Sa tanan nga indi magsunod sa EO, we will cancel your business permits and ipasara ko inyo establishments,” he said.
Meanwhile, the mayor said he already instructed the Human Resource and Management Office (HRMO) for the operationalization of the four-day work week scheme in the City Hall.
Under the scheme, City Hall employees will work for four days per week starting from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“We will issue a memorandum and we target to start the scheme next week,” the mayor said.
The Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) and Persons with Disability (PWD) will be temporarily closed for 14 days as a precautionary measure for seniors and PWDs.
Treñas added that visitors in the City Hall will be required to register in a log book where they will be given the visitors pass.
“We want to limit the people going in and out of the City Hall. We also have to protect our vulnerable sector especially the elderlies,” he said.
The mayor appealed to the public to remain calm as the city government is doing its best to prevent the entry of the virus.
“Indi kamo magkahadlok. We are doing these measures to prevent the entry of the virus. So there’s no need to panic buy from groceries and supermarkets,” he said.
The city government recorded 86 persons under monitoring and one person under investigation.
Ateneo de Iloilo also suspended classes for 52 days, from March 13 to May 3 in support of the city government’s moves.
“Strictly, no student is allowed to report to school during the suspension dates. Teachers and staff are to do Work from Home (WFH) except when needed to report to school for critical matters to comply. Parents and guardians are also discouraged to go to school, unless for authorized and scheduled school transactions e.g. special Parent-Teacher Conference (PTC) or processing of clearance, payments, and enrolment,” according to a memorandum issued by AdI principal Herman Lagon.
Public mass gatherings were also suspended in Guimaras island, based on an executive order issued by Gov. Samuel Gumarin.
VIRTUAL CLASSROOMS
The University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) will transition to virtual classrooms after the university suspended its face-to-face classes for one week.
In a memorandum issued on Friday, UPV Chancellor Ricardo Barbaran announced the suspension of all classroom classes in Miagao, Iloilo City, and Tacloban campuses from March 16 to March 29, 2020.
“Students and faculty members are directed to migrate to online platforms and virtual classrooms while face to face classroom classes are suspended,” he said.
Barbaran advised the students to go home as the university will disinfect the classrooms and offices.
He added that office work will also be temporary cancelled from March 16 to March 20 except for the Finance Offices (Accounting, Budget, and Cash Offices); Health Services Unit and Security Service Force due to the exigency of service.
“Office work will be temporarily cancelled from March 16-20 as we do the disinfection of classrooms, offices, and University facilities and put in place guidelines of a 4-day work week recommended by the Civil Service Commission,” Barbaran said.
In a separate statement, Barbaran said a feverish student who attended a conference in Manila is currently admitted at the Medical City in the metro awaiting the results of the laboratory testing for COVID-19.
According to Barbaran, the case has been controlled properly by the medical team of the university while students who made contact with her are also being monitored.
“The case at hand of a student who responsibly went to our Health Services Unit for a check-up because she felt feverish after she came from a conference held in Manila is a situation which has been controlled properly by our medical team. We have prepared the new dormitory to segregate the students who made contact with her from other dormers,” he said.
The chancellor slammed reports claiming that the student has already been infected by COVID-19.
“There is no truth to the rumor that our student is already infected. As soon as the tests results come out, we will duly notify the community and the public. I call on everyone concerned not to spread false statements regarding the matter in order not to create unnecessary panic and fear among our constituents and surrounding communities,” Barbaran added.
Meanwhile, the UPV-University Student Council (UPV-USC) requested comprehensive outlines and protocols to address the concerns of the students and employees especially in the transition to online learning.
“We urge that your good office ensure an inclusive and efficient transition to virtual/bended learning. We request for guidelines as to how this method of learning be done while taking into consideration several concerns of the students such as access to gadgets and internet connection,” the student council said in a statement.
The student council also demanded immediate measures to be done in the university to ensure proper hygiene and sanitation particularly in maintaining adequate supply and access of clean water, hand soap, and alcohol in key areas of the campuses.
