Lockdown confuses, worries Sitio Zapatera residents

Barangay Luz in Cebu City has the most number of COVID-19 positive cases in Central Visayas. Health officials reported 82 new cases from this densely-populated barangay on Friday, April 17, 2020. | Photo courtesy of the Cebu City PIO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Virgilio Revas, 61, is taking maintenance medicines for his heart illness.

He said that his medicines and vitamins supply are now depleting.

His biggest worry is where and how to source additional medicines with the lockdown that was implemented starting on April 12 in Sitio Zapatera, Barangay Luz in Cebu City, where he lives.  The urban poor community has a population of about 10, 000 people.

“Di man gyod ko mogawas kay senior naman ko unya among silingan positive man,” he said.

(I would never be allowed to go out because I am a senior citizen and we have neighbors who tested positive for COVID-19.)

While he lives with his daughter, son-in-law, and three grandchildren, Revas said that none from among his family members are allowed to also go out of their home to withdraw cash and buy essentials because of the lockdown.

To add to his concerns, the lockdown will already be expanded to cover the entire barangay Luz that has a population of at least 33, 000 and is located in Cebu City’s north district as soon as guidelines for its implementation is finalized.

Barangay-wide Lockdown

Health officials already recorded 135 COVID-19 positive cases in Sitio Zapatera in just one week.

Mayor Edgardo Labella explained that placing Sitio Zapatera and the rest of Barangay Luz on lockdown is a means to prevent the spread of the infection to other parts of the city.

While on lockdown, residents will be prevented from leaving their homes.  They will now depend on food ration coming from the city government and the barangay for their daily needs.

Health personnel and law enforcers have also been stationed there to restrict the movement of residents.

This early, some Barangay Luz residents have already raised a concern especially on their depleting potable water supply which they source from distilled water suppliers.

Errands

Luz Barangay Councilor Maynard Salinguhay told CDN Digital that they are now trying to devise a system to especially make sure that Sitio Zapatera residents will have access to their basic needs.

Under the system, barangay workers will be doing house to house visits on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and do errands for the residents like buy needs, withdraw cash, or send items to people who are from outside their barangay.

Salinguhay said they are also trying to find means to ensure that there will be enough water supply for people in the area.

Residents used to source drinking water from a nearby water refilling station that already ceased operation after COVID-19 cases were reported in the community.

Salinguhay said they have managed to convince the operator of the water refilling station to resume operations on Sunday with a promise that the barangay will regulate the number of buyers at a time to prevent the spread of the infection to their employees.

The Metro Cebu Water District, he said, has also completed its work to improve the distribution of tap water to Luz residents.

Help Needed

Salinguhay said that while the city government and the barangay coordinates to attend to the need of their residents, they would also welcome help from private individuals.

Barangay residents, he said, are especially in need of vitamins to boost their immune system.

Government workers are doing their best to already complete the establishment of a facility at the Barri Luz National High School where COVID-19 patients will be asked to stay until they recover from the infection.

While the government works, Salinguhay is asking barangay residents to do their share by staying at home and praying so that the virus will already dissipate. / dcb