ZAMBOANGA City Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar reiterated the recommendation of the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (RIATF) Special Monitoring Team to this city’s 98 villages to use and spend their disaster quick response funds in the fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Salazar said the recommendation came after observation that most, if not all the 98 villages, have appeared heavily dependent on the City Government in the response against Covid-19.

The RIATF Special Monitoring Team has evaluated the current Covid-19 situation and responses, as part of its regionwide monitoring activity.

“All barangays were given funds for use in managing disasters and the pandemic. Use them,” Salazar said told the village officials.

Salazar said part of the team’s recommendation was a request for the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to evaluate every barangay’s performance and compliance with all efforts to curb Covid-19 infections in Zamboanga City.

“There are gaps in the barangays, thus the Covid-19 special team has requested DILG to evaluate the compliance of the barangays,” she said.

She said the City Government is taking into consideration the “whole-of-a city approach” due to concerns over the Delta variant-driven surge of Covid-19 infections in Zamboanga City.

This city registered 21,030 total confirmed cases of Covid-19 with 17,825 recoveries, 2,252 active cases and 953 deaths as of November 1.

The Covid-19 data tracker showed that 20 of this city’s 98 villages registered high active cases of Covid-19.

On top of the list was Santa Maria village with 194 cases. The village of Canelar was on the 20th spot with 38 cases.

This city remains under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until November 15 after it was placed under MECQ starting October 16. (SunStar Zamboanga)