No more purok lockdown in 21-C; house lockdown instead

A BARANGAY official explained Friday, April 24, 2020, the lifting of a supposed purok lockdown implemented in Barangay 21-C, Davao City after just two days of its implementation.

Barangay 21-C captain Edmundo Altizo, in an interview, said he was first called by Sta. Ana Police chief Police Major Michael Uyanguren that instead of locking down the whole barangay, they would instead just lock down Purok 8 where the coronavirus disease (Covid-19)-positive patient is said to be residing.

"Nanawag si Major Uyanguren nako 'Kap dili na tanang barangay i-lockdown, Purok 8 lang' after 30 minutes nanawag na pud siya three times, 'Kap lockdown ta, dili na purok Block 69 nalang' lockdown Block 69 pasabot ana among i-trace mga parente, amigo, silingan sa pasyente. Mao na pasabot nato sa lockdown (Major Uyanguren called me saying 'Kap we will not put on lockdown the whole barangay, we'll just place Purok 8 on lockdown.' After 30 minutes, he called again saying, 'Kap let's implement the lockdown but not the whole Purok 8, only Block 69.' Putting Block 69 on lockdown means we'll trace the relatives, friends, neighbors of the Covid-19 patient. That's what it means)," Altizo said.

With this, he said he is hoping that discrimination experienced by his constituents when entering certain establishments will also be "lifted," as they are exerting all efforts to strictly quarantine and monitor all those who have in close contact with the Covid-19 patient.

"Human sa mga tulo or upat ka adlaw nga pag lock down namo aning area-ha ni, na-identify na namo mga baynte nuybe ka tao nga na close contact aning pasyente niingon dayon si (Maj.) Uyanguren, 'sige Kap kana lang atong i-lockdown nga mga pamilya, dili gyud nato na sila pagawason, pero ang Block 69 i-lift na nato' (After three or four days that we had implemented a lockdown in this area, we already identified 29 persons having close contact with the patient, Major Uyanguren said 'Ok kap, we'll just lock down these families, we will not let them out, but we will lift the lockdown in Block 69)," he said.

He added these families who are under a house lockdown will be provided with their needs, adding that as of Friday afternoon, they are already preparing the goods to be rationed to the identified families.

Meanwhile, Uyanguren said they had coordinated with the Davao City Police Office and the Public Safety and Security Command Center regarding their decision to lift the lockdown.

"Dili na siya purok lockdown, house lockdown na lang sa balay nga gi-identify sa positive case ug katong direct nila na mga household nga silingan, kato na lang sila ang lockdown, dili sila pwede mugawas (It is not a purok lockdown anymore. Instead, families who may have had close contact with the Covid-19 positive patient will be placed under a house lockdown)," Uyanguren said.

He said they have come up with the decision to only lockdown a specific area and households because of large area of Purok 8.

Prior to this, netizens on social media were wondering why the lockdown in Barangay 21-C was immediately lifted when the monitoring of those who made contact with a patient who is suspected or confirmed with Covid-19 should be 14 days.