ABOUT 4,384 persons in Bacolod City underwent reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) from August 27 to 29, 2020.
City Health Office (CHO) records showed on August 29, about 1, 660 persons from various barangays underwent RT-PCR test, 1,429 persons were also swabbed on August 28 and another 1,295 persons were swabbed on August 27.
Prior to the mass testing on August 28 and 29 in various barangays, the CHO already held the swab tests in some government agencies and business process outsourcing (BPO) companies on August 27.
On August 29, a total of 168 persons from Barangay Sum-ag underwent swab tests; 140 persons in Barangay Mansilingan; 88 in Barangays Handumanan, Cabug and Felisa; 322 in Barangay Taculing; 30 private individuals; 139 private businesses; 99 in Barangay Mandalagan; 196 in Barangay Alijis; 230 in Barangays 19, 20, 21, 28, 29, 37, 40, and 41; 106 in Barangay Vista Alegre; and 140 persons in Barangay Tangub.
On August 28, a total of 118 persons from Barangay Banago were swabbed; 96 persons in Barangays 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, and 19; 342 in Barangay Estefania; 20 in Barangay Alangilan; 125 in Barangay Granada; 89 in Barangay Bata; 150 in Barangays 13, 14, 15, 16, 24, 35, 36, 38 and 39; 117 in Barangays Villamonte and Montevista; 160 in Barangays 1 to 7; 191 in Barangay Singcang-Airport; and 21 employees of RCBC.
On August 27, CHO also conducted the swab test from various BPOs companies include 324 employees of Panasiatic; 294 personnel of Department of Education; 82 personnel of CHMSC; 33 personnel of ARB; 25 employees of Teleperformance; 61 in Ubiquity; 58 in BRO Center; 230 in DPWH; 16 in BGC; 54 in BDO; 120 employees of Transcom.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia expressed his gratitude to those who participated in " O-Plan: One-Time-Big-Time" mass testing on August 28 and 29, as well as those who joined on August 27.
The Provincial Government of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City have united to hold a “timeout weekend” from August 28 to 31 to arrest the Covid-19 by mass testing 10,000 individuals with flu-like symptoms and close contacts of positive patients.
The plan was implemented in phases, with Bacolod City taking the lead on August 28 to 29 where 5,000 individuals will be swabbed, followed by Silay City, Talisay City, Bago City and Murcia from August 30 to 31 where the other 5,000 individuals will also be swabbed.
The swab tests were free, as the required amount pegged at P35 million will come from the national government through the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
"Thank you everyone for your cooperation and participation in the Provincial Government's two-day mass testing where Bacolod City participated in. Thank you to our swabbers from Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, doctors, nurses, medical technologist, CHO personnel, barangay officials, tanods, barangay health emergency response teams, Bacolod City Police Office and traffic personnel, the city officials, Governor Eugenio Lacson and Provincial Consultant Albee Benitez," Leonardia said.
"I'm also thankful to President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Bong Go, who immediately responded to my appeal for an augmentation of medical personnel in city," he said.
Leonardia also held a meeting Sunday afternoon with medical teams, religious leaders and members of the business sector in response to the request for recess, break or time out due to the increase of Covid-19 cases.
The mayor said that they are planning to reinstitute the use of home quarantine pass (HQP) from September 3 to 15, which will be distributed to each household in Bacolod.
He said border controls and checkup points will also be placed in various areas of Bacolod City.