Horizons 101 denies discriminating frontliners, faces probe

Free shuttle service for frontliners thrust into the forefront in the battle against the spread of COVID-19. |OVP Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A condominium in Cebu City denied reports of alleged discrimination against nurses during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and said the incident was a “miscommunication”.

In a statement sent to media, the management of high-rise condominium, Horizons 101, said the management is deeply saddened of the incident and assured the public that there was no discrimination towards the front-liners.

Horizons 101 said the incident was a miscommunication between the Property Management and the two nurses who were guests of a unit-owner in the condominium complex.

The reason for the miscommunication stemmed from the strictly imposed existing guidelines and protocols for moving into the building that was also imposed on guests entering the building.

This was in response to the government’s mandate of ECQ to decrease and control the number of COVID-19 cases, the statement said.

The Property Management restricted the number of residents and guests of the two towers to 500 people at any given time to safeguard their well-being, health, and safety.

“Unit owners who would allow guests inside their units must inform the Property Management Office (PMO) prior to the move-in of their guests. In this way, guidelines would be clear to the owner’s guests who can enter the building. In the case of the 2 front liners, the unit owner concerned did not inform the PMO beforehand that she is allowing the 2 front liners to stay in her unit,” said the management.

In their statement to Inquirer, the two front-liners said they were refused entry when they revealed that they were nurses. They were supposed to stay in a unit owned by a friend currently living in France.

The nurses lived in an upland barangay and found it difficult to travel to the hospital with no public transport. They tried to enter Horizons 101 on April 4 but were allegedly not allowed entry by the management.

The management said the information needed for the intervention of such “special situation” never reached the attention of their manager, thus the entry of the 2 front liners was initially denied, and they were requested to come back on Monday, the following day being a Sunday, to allow the PMO to get the written confirmation of the unit owner concerned. 

“Just to note, we have immediately allowed the front liners to stay in the building on Monday, after the written confirmation of the unit owner was obtained,” said Horizons 101.

Horizons 101 and its Property Management maintain that they are in full support and have high gratitude for the people risking their lives every day especially those who are at the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Hence, it was never the intention of the Property Management to discriminate anyone entering the towers,” said the management.

The Cebu City government is already investigating the incident after an ordinance was passed on April 1 that made discriminating front-liners illegal in the city’s jurisdiction.

Mayor Edgardo Labella has tasked the City Legal Office to investigate the incident. /rcg