After recovery of COVID-19 patients: City goverment lifts sitio lockdown

CEBU, Philippines —  After 43 days, the Cebu City government lifted the lockdown on sitio Zapatera in Barangay Luz Wednesday after at least 51 of those who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the area have recovered.            

Forty-two of the 51 have returned home while the rest chose to remain at the Barangay Isolation Center (BIC) as they have family members who are still positive and are isolated there. They are staying in separate rooms.

Mayor Edgardo Labella issued Memorandum 2020-296 ordering the Philippine National Police, City Health Department, and the Cebu City Risk Reduction and Management Office to implement necessary measures to lift the lockdown on the Sitio.

“Considering that sufficient time has elapsed since the City Government imposed a lockdown in Sitio Zapatera, and that more recoveries have been logged in the area than new cases of the COVID-19, you are hereby directed to implement the necessary measures to effectively lift the lockdown in the sitio,” the memorandum reads.

“This is in due recognition of Resolution No. 20-040 of the Sangguniang Barangay of Luz recommending for the lifting of the total lockdown in sitio Zapatera dated May 18, 2020 upon the recommendation of their Barangay Crisis Management Team and Barangay Health Emergency Response Team,” the memorandum reads further.

The barangay’s spokesperson, Idebrian Arañez, said the lockdown was lifted midday yesterday.

“Amo i-confirm nga lifted ang lockdown sa Sitio Zapatera as of 12 p.m. This is actually the memorandum issued by Mayor Labella earlier so mao gi-implement na,” Arañez said.

(We can confirm that the lockdown has been lifted as of 12 p.m. We implemented the memorandum Mayor Labella issued.) 

The sitio was put on lockdown on April 7, 2020 after it recorded its first positive case. With at least 1,000 families living in the sitio, city authorities saw that the risk of transmission was high.

Arañez said at least 80 more residents who are at the BIC are awaiting results of their test.

Barangay Luz has recorded 201 positive cases as of yesterday, May 20.

Movement

Arañez said the lifting of the lockdown means that residents may now go out of Sitio Zapatera, but only for important matters, such as buying essentials like food and medicines, or going to work.

Police personnel will continue to guard the entrance and exit points of the sitio, especially that the Cebu City is still under enhanced community quarantine.

“Naa gihapon mo-guard. Magpabilin gihapon ang mga police officers dira sa ilahang main entrance and exit. Mananghid gihapon sila (residents),” Arañez said.

(Police officers will continue to guard the entrance and exist points. The residents will have to ask permission to go out.)

Luz councilman Maynard Salinguhay told The Freeman that they have spoken to residents of sitio Zapatera and the residents have agreed that they will not allow those from outside Zapatera to enter the sitio.

“Nag-meeting mi’s mga tawo didto ahead before mi nihangyo sa mayor nga i-lift na ang lockdown nila. Ni-commit ang mga tawo nga mag-organize sila’g balik og mga frontliners, mubantay sa entrance and exit sa ilang community,” Salinguhay said.

(We met with the residents there even before we asked the mayor to lift the lockdown and they committed to organize frontliners who can help guard the entrance and exit points in the community)

“Ang nahitabo man gud sa sitio Zapatera, sila gyud ang unang daghan kaayo’g cases sa city so sila gyuy na hard lockdown,” Salinguhay added.

(What happened to Zapatera is that it recorded the most number of cases in the city first so it was placed under hard lockdown.)  JMO (FREEMAN)