By SHIELA MAE BUTLIG
with JOEY NACALABAN
Correspondents
THE capitol has declared a state of calamity in Misamis Oriental, a move that would allow local governments and barangays in the province to make use of their disaster funds in efforts to prevent the spread of the deadly 2019 novel coronavirus (Covid-19), Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano confirmed yesterday.
Emano’s announcement came two days after the provincial board approved the governor’s request for it to make the declaration in line with President Duterte’s proclamation that placed the entire country under a state of public health emergency.
In an advisory yesterday, the Department of Health (DOH) reported 16 additional positive cases, bringing the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country to 49.
The DOH said it has deployed surveillance teams to conduct extensive information-gathering and contact-tracing activities.
In a text message late afternoon yesterday, Dr. Ian Gonzales of DOH-10’s infectious diseases cluster said Region 10 has no confirmed Covid-19 case.
Reads part of Gonzales’s text: “No patient tested positive for Covid. No confirmed case in Region 10.”
Later, Gonzales added: “We are still awaiting test results from RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine).”
With the capitol declaration of a state of calamity, Misamis Oriental’s mayors and barangay chairpersons can now use their 30-percent local disaster risk reduction management funds in the campaign to keep the province coronavirus-free.
The declaration also authorizes the capitol to utilize the disaster fund in its budget in the collective campaign against deadly virus.
The disaster risk reduction management fund comes from five percent of collected taxes set aside for the calamity fund. Seventy percent of the disaster fund is intended for preparations and the remaining 30 percent may be used in case there is a calamity.
Over Magnum Radio, provincial board member Gerardo Sabal III said Emano’s request for a state of calamity declaration was approved by the provincial legislature on Monday.
“Emergency na gyud kaayo, wala kami nagduha-duha kay nakita namo nga angayan ug matarong gyud ideklara nato kay mao kanang giingon nga gi-antisipar sa atong halamdong gobernador (Emano) ang kani nga problema,” Sabal said.
He said the capitol’s position is, it’s better to be prepared “kaysa ayha pa kita muakto nga magdako na ang problema.”
Emano told local radio he sent the provincial board a letter to request that it place the province under a state of calamity based on the recommendation of provincial health officer Jerie Calingasan “para makapanagana aning sakit nga Covid-19.”
Emano quoted an adage to justify the declaration: “Aanhin mo ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo.”
Emano said the capitol would buy additional equipment and gadgets like thermal scanners.
“Mapugos ta magpalit. Di man puwede ang empleaydo ra sa kapitolyo atong protektahan,” Emano said.
Meanwhile, Emano called on the Department of Health (DOH) to be specific about the situation in the province and inform the capitol, through the provincial health office.
Emano told local radio that Dr. Calingasan has not received any word from the health department about whether or not the province has remained coronavirus-free or if there is any “person under investigation” (PUI).
“Mosulti unta sila kung naa na ba’y Covid diri sa Misamis Oriental ug Cagayan de Oro kay gakabalaka na si Calingasan,” he said.
Emano proposed that the DOH in the region make use of the internet for fast communication. He said DOH should make use of internet apps like Facebook messenger or Viber “para kadyot ra ma-inform mga health officers nga naay tawo under observation nga padulong sa inyong lugar.”
He added: “Mao ning concern ni Calingasan kay basin ulahi na siya makahibalo.”
In another related development, city hall further intensified preventive measures against the virus.
Dr. Joey Retuya, city epidemiologist, told the city council that a Covid-19 task force headed by the City Health Office was created. The group is composed of different local and national agencies.
He cited a Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) memorandum circular mandating local barangays to reactivate and establish their respective Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (Bhert).
In response to this, Retuya said, the CHO oriented members of the Liga ng mga Barangay on Covid-19 and the process of establishing or reactivating their emergency response teams.
“The CHO created the algorithm to be used by the Bhert in identifying community members who have arrived or travelled in the past 14 days to focus more on arrival/travel from China and the special administrative regions to include Hongkong and Macau,” said Retuya.
Retuya said if there is a history of travel abroad, and there are symptoms within 14 days, the Bhert should call the CHO’s Health Emergency Management Section (Hems) to facilitate the patient’s referral to the Northern Mindanao Medical center (NMMC).
He said that if there are no symptoms, self or home quarantine will be advised for 14 days, which will be monitored and followed up by the BHERT.
If there was no travel abroad but the patient has flu-like symptoms, he or she will be advised to seek consultation from any health center for treatment of that particular condition. “Still you have to report to our Hems and follow up by Bhert,” he added.
The DOH raised Code Red Sublevel 1 Alert in the country on Monday after confirming new cases of Covid-19. (with a report from Jigger J. Jerusalem and SP dispatch)
