A BAGUIO City official is pushing for the updating of the city health ordinance immediately.
Councilor Mylen Yaranon said she is in the process of upgrading the present health ordinance in response to the Covid-19 threat and as a measure for future health concerns which may affect the residents of the city.
In the weekly Talakayan sa Environment Code radio forum of the Baguio Regreening Movement (BRM), Yaranon has sought the help of Department of Health on inputs to respond not only to Covid–19 but to future emerging health concerns.
Doctor Celia Flor Brilliantes, Baguio City Health officer, suggested to the lawmaker of a more strengthened resolution or ordinance with regard to the procurement of supplies.
“During this time of emergency we would like to ask for help in facilitating the procurement of our medical supplies and logistics which sometimes are not enough aside from the ongoing information saturation in the city with regard to CoViD-19 which is needed particularly during this time of emergencies,” Brilliantes said.
At present, the lawmaker is in the process of crafting an ordinance which will now include the new recommendations coming from the health department.
“Last Monday, the mayor (Benjamin Magalong) said Senator Grace Poe have given an amount for medical assistance and maybe we can use it for this kind especially now that this is an emergency and we will advise the mayor. We already have our medical assistance that we are giving our city health office and I think that fund should be allotted for what Doctor Brilliantes have mentioned,” Yaranon added.
Doctor Amelita Pangilinan, Department of Health (DOH)-Cordillera director, also recommended to include in the upgraded health ordinance in instilling self–discipline and the habit to practice personal hygiene not only in Baguio City but in the region.
“We have to be prepared for the worst. Let us have contingency planning for the good, better and the worst scenario. We should adopt the World Health Organization template of the four door policy in which we are now at the fourth door which is synonymous to code red and let us not wait for sub level two where there is already transmission,” Pangilinan added.
Covid-19 Alert System to code red sublevel 1 is the preemptive call to ensure that national and local governments and public and private health care providers to prepare for possible increase in suspected and confirmed cases in the country.