THE Covid-19 cases in Mandaue City is going up the ladder, but it isn’t as fast as the pace in Cebu City that already reached more than 5,000 cases. Mandaue City already breached the 1,000 mark last week. The good thing with Mandaue City is that its officials are united in this battle against this faceless enemy that has not only ravaged our country, but practically the whole world, even the mighty countries like the USA, which has topped the chart worldwide in the number of deaths as well as those infected with the virus.
But with the plan to reopen the classes next month, the city officials are looking for a place where to transfer its quarantine and isolation center, which is now at the Mandaue City Central Elementary School. The city plans to use the Norkis Park and the North Bus Terminal in Barangay Subangdako, which was closed at the imposition of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
Most, if not all, of the barangays in Mandaue City have their own basketball court. Since contact sports like basketball is still prohibited by the Department of Health, perhaps Mayor Jonas Cortes and the city councilors could utilize every basketball court in the barangay as their isolation/quarantine centers. The isolation or quarantine of those who may have the virus could well serve the purpose as they are kept in their barangay and accessible.
An isolation/quarantine center in one place will contain those from other barangays that may have been infected. I’m certainly not a health expert, but for practical reasons and ease for those who will be isolated or quarantined that having it in their barangay could be less stressful and burdensome. Cebu City experienced problems with its barangay isolation center (BIC), but it was resolved later.
On the other hand, Mandaue City is perhaps the first local government unit (LGU) to provide freezer for those who died of Covid-19 in the meantime that the crematorium is overwhelmed. This free service is limited to the city indigents. The cost of the cremation is also free. Significantly, I have not heard of any complaint or comments from any of the elected officials or the critics with how Mayor Cortes handled the pandemic.
You can call me bias, but from my perspective it’s very obvious that cooperation among the government officials, local or national, is the key in solving any problem, like this Covid-19 pandemic that we have agreed nobody has predicted, not any country, or the LGUs, are prepared to handle it, resulting to deaths of hundreds of thousands worldwide. With a united and cooperative action of city officials, I believe Mandaue City could keep to the minimum its Covid-19 cases.
Of course, cooperation is not only for the government officials and health workers in this fight against Covid-19, but for all of us to observe by complying with the health protocols issued by the DOH. But look at those stubborn and imperceptive Cebuanos, including the lackadaisical barangay officials, they don’t care and as a consequence the entire city suffers from their irresponsibility. They deserve punishment.
As of July 7, 2020, the US has 3,040,833 Covid-19 cases with 132,979 deaths; followed by Brazil with 1,626,071 and 65,556 deaths. The Philippines is number 37 in the list with 46,333 cases and 1,303 deaths and recoveries of 12,185 (WorldOmeter). It’s not really bad since the Duterte administration started a little late in the campaign against Covid-19.