In Cebu City, village volunteers, watchmen, mall security tapped to help contact tracing

Workers from the Cebu City Health Department take swab samples from residents in Sitio Callejon, Barangay Labangon in this April 2020 file photo.

CEBU CITY, Philippines – In an effort to conduct wider contact tracing coverages, law enforcers in Cebu City have tapped the assistance of village watchmen, volunteers and security personnel from malls.

The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO – 7) announced on Thursday, July 23, 2020, that they will be conducting seminars for individuals tasked to help the city’s contact tracing initiatives.

“We have to maximize the number of contact tracers in the city. We encourage all – policemen and barangay tanods – to be contact tracers themselves,” said Police Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro, director of PRO – 7.

Ferro said the first round of training will be held Thursday, which will be hosted by police officers from Cebu City.

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For his part, Police Colonel Josefino Ligan, director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said in a separate interview that they are targeting to teach at least 300 village watchmen, volunteers, and security personnel from malls.

“The first batch to undergo training will come from 44 barangays. Each barangay has sent five participants consisting of a mix of barangay tanods, volunteers, and others they have chosen to be part in aiding contact tracing activities,” said Ligan in a mix of Cebuano and English.

“Security managers and personnel of the different malls here will also be participating as this (contact tracing) was discussed in our meeting,” he added.

Ligan also said that CCPO is scheduled to start with 60 participants from eight barangays on Thursday afternoon.

“They will be onboard to get insights and basic skills on contact tracing and investigation,” he explained.

The CCPO top official also said he is hoping that with more people tapped to do contact tracing, the city can effectively and efficiently detect possible cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“This time, we have employed the help of people from the barangays who can validate, confirm information from the regional health office to help us in tracing close contacts. And we’re hoping this would be successful,” Ligan added.

The national government’s anti-coronavirus task force had called out the attention of the Cebu City Government for lapses in their contact tracing.  As a result, they have fielded Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong here to help all sectors in the city in sweeping the communities for close contacts of previously confirmed COVID-19 patients.

Cebu City remains under a state of modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) since July 16. /bmjo