268 Cebu City residents undergo rapid test on 2nd day

Rapid mass testing being conducted in Barangay Tisa, Cebu City on Thursday, May 7, 2020. CDN Digital photo | Gerard Vincent Francisco

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Health Department targeted 1,700 residents to be tested today from Barangays Mambaling, Bulacao, Hipodromo, and Tisa.

Yet for the 2nd day of the mass rapid testing, the city health officers waited in vain for the residents to come.

Only 245 residents and 23 officials submitted themselves for the testing in the four barangays.

Tisa has the highest number of participants reaching up to 174 residents submitting to the tests. The barangay currently has the most number of samples from all barangays tested.

Herty Lopez, the barangay’s information officer told CDN Digital, that 981 residents were listed as targets for the testing but the list was not updated and contained individuals who were already dead or have moved residences.

Still, the barangay reached 20 percent of their target, an impressive number relative to the other barangays on Thursday, May 7, 2020.

“Daghan ang nibalibad and also we are implementing man gud sitio clustering mao nga ang uban nahadlok mo gawas kay basin dakpon. But we announced sa among Tisa Daily Bulletin nga we accept walk in,” said Lopez.

(Many refused the test because the barangay has implemented sitio clustering and people are afraid to go out for fear of being apprehended. But we announced in our Tisa Daily Bulletin that we accept walk-in.)

Still, Tisa is happy with the turnout because many of the residents have submitted themselves to the test and the barangay still has no positive COVID-19 patient yet.

“This goes to show that we are taking this Covid-19 fight seriously,” he said.

This was not the case for Barangays Mambaling and Bulacao.

Since Mambaling has the most number of COVID-19 cases, the rapid test was focused on Sitio Viking. Only four individuals turned up for the test.

Mambaling Barangay Captain Gines Abellana said the residents no longer felt the need for the rapid test because of the many cases in the barangay anyway.

He said the residents felt that it was no longer worth the risk to go out and do the rapid test.

In Barangay Bulacao, barangay Councilor Chona Pascual said that even with constant reassurance, the residents still refuse to undergo the test.

Only 16 out of 400 targets submitted themselves to the testing even if the City Health officers waited for at least four hours.

“Amo na gani sila kwaon gamit ang sakyanan sa barangay, di gihapon sila. Di pud ta kapugos. (We tried to fetch them with the barangay vehicles, but they will not go. We also cannot force them),” said Pascual.

Pascual said they could only try to encourage the residents despite their fears.

For Hipodromo, barangay health officer, Leah Abaro, said at least 51 out of the 400 target individuals came.

Many of the residents refused and the barangay could not force them because the test is voluntary.  /rcg