ON the third day of the lockdown in Sitio Alaska in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City, Barangay Captain Gines Abellana said many residents have failed to follow the stay-at-home order.
He said the living conditions in the area contributed to the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). Mambaling logged a total of 539 cases as of May 7, 2020, making it the barangay in Cebu with the highest number of Covid-19 cases.
“Many of them don’t follow the protocol due to the structure of their houses,” said Abellana.
“I cannot also blame them kay uban di gyud masud sa balay, alimuotan sud sa balay. Some of them even sleep outside their houses at night (Some of them cannot even be accommodated inside their houses and the heat is unbearable),” he added.
Abellana said the residents get inside their houses only when the police and military personnel who are guarding the area call their attention.
He admitted he even suggested to Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella to just lift the lockdown. Labella placed the entire Sitio Alaska on lockdown on May 6.
“I suggested to just lift it (lockdown) so we will only be providing food for those who are in the isolation center,” he said.
Abellana, however, said the mayor is firm in his decision to impose the lockdown to contain the virus.
He said he made the suggestion to the mayor also because of the number of families that needed to be provided with relief goods.
“The mayor, though, has shown his willingness to provide assistance to the barangay,” Abellana added.
He said when he made the suggestion, he also thought that the virus may spread more if the lockdown is lifted.
“Many will be infected, but as long as no one will die, that’s fine,” said Abellana.
He said as of May 8, they were still distributing 25 kilos of rice and canned goods per family. Sitio Alaska is home to around 4,000 families.
He said most of the Covid-19 patients in Mambaling are asymptomatic.
Abellana said the first two cases of Covid-19 in his barangay are residents of Sitio Tinabangay. Both worked at a restaurant.
After the two tested positive for Covid-19, their families and neighbors were then found to have also contracted the disease, he said.
Mambaling now has two barangay isolation centers, the Mambaling Elementary School and Alaska Elementary School. (JJL)