DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio encouraged those who have lined up in community pantries to self-isolate, as she revealed that a certain community pantry organizer is currently admitted in a hospital after testing positive for coronavirus.
Duterte-Carpio said on Monday, May 24, 2021, that the organizer is currently under critical condition and is at the intensive care unit (ICU).
The mayor declined to name the organizer or the location of the community pantry due to confidential matters.
She said that while the city lauds the goals of the community pantry, this might also pose risk to the people.
"Delikado pud gihapon ang community pantry (Community pantries are risky). Although this is laudable, ang gusto sa atong kaigsoonang Dabawenyos nga mutabang, but basin ang atong pagtabang pa hinuon ang mamahimong hinungdan nga naa'y taong mag-succumb or mamatay tungod sa Covid-19 (which is to help fellow Dabawenyos who are in need, but our intention of help might even result in their death because of Covid-19)," Duterte-Carpio said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
She said community pantries are highly vulnerable to Covid-19 transmission due to convergence of people.
"Makaingon gyud ta nga dili safe ang distribution sa community pantries nato since ang primary feature sa Covid-19 is tao-to-tao. Kung kita tanan magtapok, mag-uban, mag-istoryahanay, close contact, mao gyud ni ang first love sa Covid-19 -- ang mga taong gatapok, mga taong ga-mass gathering (We can really say that distributions in community pantries are not safe since the nature of the Covid-19 virus is infecting to be infecting persons through gatherings and close contact, which is Covid-19’s first love)," Duterte-Carpio said.
The mayor said they are still struggling to locate the people who converged in community pantries, considering they are uncertain if the organizers conducted Safe Davao QR (DQR) scanning or contact information listing.
"Otherwise, kung wala sila nag-keep og records, we will not know kinsa to (if they weren’t able to keep records, we will not know who these people are)," she said.
With this, she reminded those who have visited a community pantry in the past weeks and are currently experiencing influenza-like illness (ILI) symptoms, such as headache, cough, colds, diarrhea, fever, and loss of smell and taste, to visit the city's swabbing center and have themselves tested.
Meanwhile, the mayor encouraged community pantries to do it door-to-door and in a contactless manner.
The mayor, however, did not mention if she will be issuing an executive order prohibiting community pantries in the city.
In a previous interview, Duterte-Carpio said the City Government will monitor various community pantries in the city to check if Covid-19 minimum health protocols are strictly observed.
Duterte-Carpio said that she already instructed the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) to check the implementation of community pantries in the city.
"Kung wala nama'y violation sa mga (If there is no committed violation in the) Covid-19 protocols, we do not have a problem with that," the mayor said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio on April 19.
Duterte-Carpio had reminded community pantry organizers to properly coordinate with local authorities after the city ordered the dispersal of one pantry due to difficulty in implementing the physical distancing protocol given the large number of Dabawenyos who lined up for the goods.