A HIGHLY reliable source at the Capitol said the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Negros Occidental could be downgraded to modified community quarantine (MCQ) after April 30 due to significant drop of the numbers of patients under investigation (PUI) and persons under monitoring (PUM) in the province.
Former Third District Rep. Alfredo Benitez who is currently the consultant for economic affairs and investments promotion of the province said Tuesday, April 14, that Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson with other provincial officials and the members of the Inter-agency Task Force on Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) will have a meeting with the Negros mayors Wednesday to discuss the matter with them.
Benitez said while the drop of the numbers of PUIs and PUMs have significantly dropped, there are still parameters that have to be observed.
“The present condition and situation of the province must be considered”, Benitez pointed out.
The meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Negros Residences.
There is also no new Covid-19 positive case in the province.
As of Tuesday, the Provincial Government reported that the PUMs have dropped to 453 from 10,286 during the peak on March 26 while the PUIs are only 20.
However, Jonathan Lobaton, head of the Provincial Incidence Management Team, said the number of PUMs are expected to increase with the arrival of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Cebu who are considered PUMs.
Zephard Caelian, head of the Provincial Risk Reduction Management Office, confirmed the arrival Tuesday of 35 OFWs via Tabuelan Port in Cebu to Escalante City. They were brought to the Provincial PUI Center in E.B. Magalona. They comprise the first batch of OFWs who have been allowed to return to the province and had completed the 14-day mandatory quarantine in the area where they stayed prior to their return to the province.
However, Caelian said that these OFWs will still undergo the 14-day mandatory quarantine upon arrival for the safety and welfare of the province.
He said the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration has been coordinating with the province for the meals of the returning OFWs.
Caelian added that the province is also facilitating for the return of 84 seafarers from Manila, 45 construction workers in Iloilo, 24 in Palawan and eight in Lanao.
As to the Social Amelioration Program, Merle Garcia, head of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, revealed that the regional Office of the DSWD has already confirmed that they had already downloaded the funds for 30 LGUs in the province and that the remaining which is Talisay City is expected to be downloaded today.