LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu – A State of Calamity has been declared by the Lapu-Lapu City government on Tuesday, March 18, 2020, as a means to add more teeth in its fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19.
The city council approved en masse, the ordinance penned by Councilor Alexander Gestopa, declaring the city under a state of calamity.
The council also concurred with Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan’s other initiatives, like the cash-for-work program and the imposition of curfew or Executive Order 2020-38.
Under the state of calamity, disaster czar Nagiel Bañacia said the city can now have access to its present P30 million Quick Response Fund (QRF) and the P50 million unspent trust fund to fight COVID-19.
The amount will be spent on the purchase of testing kits from Singapore, and for the city’s cash-for-work program.
The testing kits, are reportedly already in transit from Singapore, and are expected to arrive this week.
“Once it arrives, kita ang first nga dunay testing kit,” said Mayor Chan, who added that the kit is vital for the early detection of COVID-19 and for the implementation of immediate medical attention to patients while the disease is still in its early stage.
He cited an incident in Cebu City where a suspected corona patient died of complications with test results still not available.
During the council session on Tuesday afternoon, City Health officer Dr. Agnes Realiza reported that there are no confirmed COVID-19 cases yet in Lapu-Lapu City.
Bañacia, who is assisting the City Health in monitoring home quarantine patients, said they have 80 persons plus six more under watch.
Mayor Ahong said the city has been giving rice and grocery items to 5,000 individuals listed by the city including boatmen, hotel workers and others who were displaced from work due to grounded flights resulting in the decrease in the number of hotel guests.
The mayor said he is planning to enroll these displaced workers under the cash-for-work program.
The council also supported the mayor’s move to impose a curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. the next day in support of President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of a state of public health emergency last March 9. /rcg