Bacolod to tap emergency funds for nCoV

BACOLOD. Mayor Evelio Leonardia joins the meeting of the Bacolod City 

Inter-Agency Task Force Against Novel Coronavirus (nCoV), chaired by 

Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, with Councilor Cindy Rojas and City 

Health Officer Dr. Ma. Carmela Gensoli as vice chairpersons, at the 

City Council Session Hall Monday, February 3, 2020. (PR)
BACOLOD. Mayor Evelio Leonardia joins the meeting of the Bacolod City Inter-Agency Task Force Against Novel Coronavirus (nCoV), chaired by Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, with Councilor Cindy Rojas and City Health Officer Dr. Ma. Carmela Gensoli as vice chairpersons, at the City Council Session Hall Monday, February 3, 2020. (PR)

THE City Government of Bacolod is planning to use the emergency funds to address the 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD).

Mayor Evelio Leonardia said Monday, February 3, that he already directed executive assistant Jose Maria Vargas, cluster of Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (DRRMO), to work with the budget officer and explore all the possibilities on how they can use the emergency funds.

He said the funds will come from the DRRMO and they will do it as soon as possible.

"We should do our part to prevent the entry or controlling the spread of nCoV," he added.

Leonardia noted that the Bacolod City Inter-Agency Task Force against the 2019-nCoV already held a meeting at the Bacolod Government Monday, February 3.

The task force was led by Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran as chairperson, with his vice-chairpersons Councilor Cindy Rojas and City Health Officer Ma. Carmela Gensoli.

Familiaran said they tackled a lot of things and they designated Dr. Grace Tan, head of the City Health Office Environment Sanitation Division, as spokesperson of the task force.

"We agreed that we should assign a spokesperson to handle all the information to the media," he said.

Leonardia earlier issued Executive Order 2-A, Series of 2020, creating the Bacolod City Inter-Agency Task Force against the 2019-nCoV.

Members of the task force are Councilors Dindo Ramos, Lady Gles Gonzales; Bacolod City Police Office Director Colonel Henry Binas; Department of the Interior and Local Government-Bacolod director Joy Maredith Madayag; Bureau of Quarantine Provincial Head Dr. Sebastian Tabuga; Department of Health-Western Visayas Ben Arnel Dela Cruz; Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital director Dr. Julius Drilon; and Department of Trade and Industry Provincial Director Rachel Nufable.

Other members are Schools Division Superintendent officer-in-charge Gladys Amelaine Sales; Bureau of Quarantine Alien Control Officer Mita Chuvy Arguelles; Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Engr. Percy Malonesio; Philippine Ports Authority acting manager Loven Serran; Philippine Coast Guard-Bacolod head Jansen Benjamin; Land Transportation Office-Bacolod head Renato Novero; Executive Assistants Joemarie Vargas, Butch Soliguen; City Tourism Office officer-in-charge Sandra Sycip; Public Information Officer Danny Dangcalan; and Hotel and Restaurant Association of Negros Occidental president Roberto Magalona.

"Because it's an inter-agency, each agency has its own role to play. The Bacolod City Police Office identified their role and responsibilities so they have to perform it," Tan said.

She said next week, they will have their follow-up meeting to modify their data and to determine what they can do more for Bacolod City.

Persons under investigation

She added that two persons, a Canadian national and a Filipino, were already quarantined at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, a referral facility, in Bacolod City for suspected 2019-nCoV.

Tan said the Canadian national had traveled from Taiwan, while the Filipino also flew in from Hong Kong.

She said they are persons under investigation. They presented with signs and symptoms of flu and history of travel.

"We should not panic, but we need to be very vigilant when it comes to receiving information because there are some false information that can lead into a panic, and please do not withhold information if you have history of travel in China, Macau, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, among others, and if you have signs and symptoms seek medical attention immediately so that it will be determined if it's really coronavirus or not," she added.

Face masks

Meanwhile, the City Government will soon distribute free face masks in various areas in the city.

City Health Officer Ma. Carmela Gensoli said they will only prioritize the sick elderly and children below five years old.

"It's not advisable that all of us will wear mask. We should prioritize the sick elderly and children who are most vulnerable to the 2019 nCoV," she said.

She added that using face mask is only effective if you couple it with other hygienic practices like proper hand washing, adding that cloth face mask is not advisable to use.

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