CEBU CITY, Philippines — A hotel in Cebu City violated isolation protocols for accommodating three positive cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) without being certified by the Department of Health (DOH).
Retired General Melquiades Feliciano, deputy chief implementer of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) in the Visayas, claimed that the hotel not only accommodated the positive cases, but there were also 30 Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) workers, hotel staff, and security guards staying in the hotel.
“There is a clear violation. We have learned that the hotel issued a statement that the hotel is open for business (and) has never been closed down. In fact, it was ordered by the EOC (Emergency Operations Center) to close down. In the interest of public safety, this statement is misleading,” said Feliciano.
The IATF deputy chief said that the EOC already tested the individuals staying at the hotel, and it turned out that one other person proved positive for the virus while staying at the hotel.
He said that the hotel’s violation of isolation protocols caused a spread of the virus within the hotel.
Still, the EOC assisted in the hotel’s quarantine and contact tracing.
Feliciano said that the hotel was placed under lockdown.
This means that the hotel cannot accept any more guests.
Hotel’s assurance
However, the hotel assured in a statement posted on its Facebook page that they had followed protocols imposed by the government to stop the spread of this virus.
The hotel also said that they had always put the safety and comfort of their guests and that they were proud to help the frontliners and provide a safe home in this time of crisis.
BPO firm to be probed
Meanwhile, a business process outsourcing (BPO) company along Archbishop Reyes Avenue also violated isolation protocols when one of its workers being quarantined in the seventh floor was able to go home in Barangay Talamban on August 4, 2020.
CDN Digital has decided not to disclose the name of the BPO company while waiting for their official statement.
Feliciano said that there were seven individuals, who were positive of the virus, in the building and while they were under quarantine, they were not supposed to leave the building.
Yet somehow, the female worker was able to go home. She turned out positive for the virus as well.
The Cebu City Business Processing and Licensing Office (BPLO) said they would be investigating the two separate incidents.
Lawyer Jared Limquiaco, the head of the BPLO, said their teams would be visiting the two establishments to check their compliance to health protocols.
Limquiaco said that if they were found to have violated the isolation protocols, they might face closure.
Feliciano, for his part, also urged the establishments to follow the health protocols to prevent the spread of the COVID-19.
He said the private sector had to help the government control the pandemic or else Cebu City might return to another strict quarantine status./dbs