JASMINE D. JASO
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – In a bid to contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections, Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda will further intensify measures as the number of confirmed cases continues to escalate in the province.
This was learned during the governor’s meeting with the local chief executives and some representatives at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center here on Friday.
According to Governor Delta, the province is not yet ready to go back to ‘normal’ phase as long as there are still new cases being reported daily.
“Hangga’t wala pa tayong hawak na vaccine, maghihigpit pa rin tayo,” he said.
Governor Delta also announced that he recommended to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to retain the enforcement of the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) in the province as he warned that putting the province under a wider scale of community quarantine might cripple the local economy.
“Medyo nakakabangon na po tayo, kaya nag-aalala ako na kung ibabalik natin sa dati, baka maapektuhan na naman po ang ating ekonomiya. Gagawin ko na lang po ang lahat para mas lalong palakasin ang health system natin, ang hinihingi ko lang po sa aking mga Cabalen ay disiplinahin at ingatan po ninyo ang inyong mga sarili,” he said.
He also asked the help and cooperation of the local chief executives in the contact-tracing and housing of the suspected carriers of the virus.
“Ang pakiusap ko lang sana, kung sakali mang biglang marami ang manggaling sa contact-tracing, kung maaari ay i-quarantine niyo muna ng dalawa hanggang tatlong araw, dahil hindi na kakayanin lahat ng probinsiya,” Governor Delta said.
He also mentioned that the provincial government is willing to train the medical personnel who will be deployed at different isolation areas in each city and municipality.
Aside from this, Governor Delta will also limit the people entering the province, particularly from Metro Manila.
He advised Kapampangan workers in Metro Manila to register to their respective barangays so that the barangay officials would be informed about who are going in and out of the province.
“Lahat po ng Kapampangan na naglalabas-masok mula Metro Manila, mag-register kayo sa inyong mga barangay nang gayo’y alam namin kung sinu-sino kayo. Hindi naman sa dinidiscriminate namin kayo, nag-iingat lang tayo para sa kapakanan ng lahat,” said Governor Delta.
He also mentioned that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan is now formulating an ordinance that will require Kapampangan workers in Metro Manila to present the result of their COVID-19 swab test before entering the province.
“Kung alam ninyong nagkaroon kayo ng close contact sa isang positive, naswab kayo, huwag muna kayong umuwi sa inyong pamilya rito sa Pampanga, i-quarantine niyo muna ang sarili ninyo hangga’t hindi pa lumalabas ang resulta,” said Governor Delta.
He also urged the barangay officials to strictly monitor and register the citizens going in and out their areas.
"If it is not for necessary purposes, do not go out. Hihigpitan na natin ang barangay level, at kung wala pa ring pagbabago matapos ang labing-limang araw, itataas natin ang paghihigpit sa municipal level," Governor Delta stressed.