MEMBERS of the Bacolod City Task Force Market Disiplina were already deployed to three major public markets in the city to ensure the strict implementation of minimum health protocols to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
Executive Assistant Ernesto Pineda, cluster head on markets, said Tuesday, April 13, that they also tapped the casual employees assigned in Burgos Public Market, Central Public Market and Libertad Public Market to monitor the market goers who are not observing the social distancing and not wearing face masks and face shields.
"We have personnel to scan and inspect the BaCTrac identification cards of the market goers and for the enforcement of the wearing of face masks and face shields," he said.
He added that about two teams will be assigned to the three major public markets with the assistance of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO).
The Task Force Market Disiplina is composed of the BCPO, the Socio-Economic Enterprise Units in the three major markets, the City Legal Office-Enforcement Team, market supervisors, and the Community Information Service Support Group.
Pineda said the market goers should use the entrance and exit of the markets so that their BaCTrac cards will be inspected.
"We are doing this to prevent the spread of the Covid-19. We should not be complacent because Covid is still there and our Covid cases also increased," he said.
As of April 12, Bacolod City has a total of 6,457 Covid-19 cases. Of the number, 5,810 patients have already recovered, 456 are active cases, and 191 have died.
On the same day, Bacolod City had a total of 42 new Covid-19 cases with 42 recoveries.
Last week, Pineda, along with the BCPO officials, held a meeting with the market vendors for the strict enforcement of minimum health protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
"We want to control and contain the surge of Covid-19 cases in market places, as well as to their adjacent areas," Pineda said.
He said all the satellite markets will also be monitored by the barangay officials and the police personnel detailed at the barangay police stations.
"The barangay officials should also do their part to prevent the spread of the virus within their barangays. We need the cooperation of everybody here to fight Covid-19," he added.