Barangay Taptap residents express worries on COVID-19 quarantine center

A resident of Barangay Taptap raises her concerns about their barangay being host to persons under monitoring for Coronavirus Disease 2019 in an open forum with Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella, City Health Officer Daisy Villa, and other city officials on Friday, February 21, 2020. | Delta Letigio

CEBU CITY, Philippines –The residents of Barangay Taptap in Cebu City expressed worries about the city’s plan to open the City Resource Management and Development Center (CREMDEC) as a quarantine center for persons under monitoring (PUMs) of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19).

In an open forum with Mayor Edgardo Labella, City Health Officer Daisy Villa, and other city officials on Friday, February 21, 2020 at the CREMDEC,  some Taptap residents said they were not keen to host the possible carriers of the Covid-19.

A female resident, who refused to be named, said that the city is putting the lives of the residents at risk by placing possible infected individuals close to their communities.

Read: Cebu City’s Cremdec is ready to accept PUMs

“Ang amoa lang kay andam ba ang syudad nga ila na ibutang dinhi. Unsaon nalang ang among mga bata, mga tigulang? Ingon sila mobreath silag fresh air, mospread na ang coronavirus?” said the woman.

(Our concern is if the city is prepared to place the PUMs here. What about our children and our elderly? They say the PUMs will be able to breath fresh air, won’t that spread the virus?”

Villa explained to them, though, that the coronavirus does not spread easily through the air, but through droplets from the nose and mouth that will be passed from one person to another.

Since the CREMDEC will be transformed into a quarantine site, Villa said all the PUMs and CREMDEC workers will have proper personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face masks. She assured the residents that even with the presence of PUMs, the barangay will remain safe.

Residents of this mountain village also complained about how the city failed to inform the locals of their plans in advance, something very important considering this involves their health.

The barangay officials said they only knew of the city’s plans through the news, and there was no communication from the city government that the barangay would be a host to PUMs.

Mayor Edgardo Labella assured the residents, though, that there will be better communication between the city and the barangay.

A mother from the barangay, who also requested anonymity, told CDN Digital that she was not convinced with the city officials statements as she read on social media how quickly coronavirus spreads.

She said since the CREMDEC will be opened to PUMS, she will no longer allow her children to go near the facility.

But a CREMDEC worker, who asked not be named, said he is not afraid to be around the PUMs.

He said that he has his own apprehensions and his family are scared for him, but he believes the city has carefully planned this move.

“Maminaw lang ta sa gisulit sa mayor nga walay angay kahadlokan. (Let us listen to what the mayor said that there is nothing to fear),” he said. /bmjo