SEVENTEEN municipal mayors in Negros Occidental agreed to shoulder the rental and operations of a "halfway" house for patients' watchers at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) in Bacolod City.
Toboso Mayor Richard Jaojoco said the agreement was reached after Valladolid Mayor Enrique Miravalles, president of the League of Municipalities-Negros Occidental chapter, visited the area and saw the plight of the patients' watchers.
The agreement will be implemented effective November 5, a holiday in the province.
"It is the gift of town mayors to the people of Negros as we celebrate Cinco de Noviembre," Jaojoco said.
Residents of the different towns who have patients at the CLMMRH can use the facilities as long as they coordinate through our hotline number, Jaojoco said.
As for the cities, the Association of Chief Executives (ACE) still has to meet on November 5 if they are amenable to also help in the operation of the halfway house.
Jaojoco who was touched by the situation of the watchers outside the CLMMRH, rented a house in Bacolod City as a halfway house for watchers from his town which he will personally pay.
The post went viral on social media.
The mayor also met with representatives of the University of St. La Salle last week to discuss how to help the watchers.
The plight of the patient watchers at the regional hospital also went viral on social media after the hospital management implemented a "no watchers" policy to curb the spread of coronavirus.