Some parts of Barangay Masipag have been temporarily locked down after officials learned that a family member of the deceased 63-year-old COVID-19 positive patient lives there in a residential compound.
Masipag barangay chairman Virgilio Rabang told Palawan News Sunday morning they have temporarily closed off portions of Valencia corner Abad Santos and Valencia corner Mabini streets while they are waiting for the city government to issue clear guidelines on what to do in the coming days.
“Yon lang po ang areas na pina-lockdown ko muna kasi… hindi ko muna pinapadaan ang mga tao… along Valencia, Abad Santos, and then corner ng Mabini, yon po hindi ko muna pinapadaan dyan kasi nga naghihintay pa tayo kung ano ang magiging advice ng city government dahil nga na-found out na ang isang kamaganak o anak ng namatay ay dito nakatira,” Rabang said.
Rabang added that he has also revoked about 1,000 quarantine passes as part of their COVID-19 spread mitigating measures.
He said some residents have requested to be issued passes, claiming they lost their first issuances.
“Masyado ng parang naging hindi na quarantine, parang lahat ng bahay meron na ring [quarantine pass], pati anak, tatay, nanay meron… ico-control ko, lalagyan ko ng control number. Ito ng nagpapa-print na ako, actually, mga 500 lang para at least sa isang pamilya mabigyan namin isa lang. Ang nangyari kasi minsan may pumunta dito, sinasabi na ‘Kap, nawala yong ano ko…’ ganito, ganoon so ang nangyari parang mahigit 1,000 yata ang na-release. Lahat na ata nakakalabas pa rin, nagiging useless na ang quarantine natin,” he said.
Rabang said the family member of the deceased has been prevented from going out.
He said he had posted some barangay tanods (security force) and members of their Barangay Health Emergency Response Team (BHERT) to monitor and patrol the compound where the family member lives to ensure the person will stay at home.
Rabang added they will work double-time to ensure that further spread of the virus will be halted in Masipag and until such time guidelines have been issued by the city government through the office of Mayor Lucilo Bayron.
“Yong aking mga workers andito naka-antabay, pero papapasyalin ko rin. May bantay akong tanod doon [sa compound] na walang dapat lumabas. Meron nga sanang bibili ng tubig, lalabas daw, hindi ko pinalabas. Ang ginawa namin para sa kaligtasan ng lahat, yong mga tanod ko na ang kumuha ng kanilang pambili ng mineral water kasi nga mahirap na,” Rabang said.
The lockdown in the said street areas will remain, he said, reiterating they are waiting for the city government to give them advice.
Disinfection activities have also been ordered to be conducted in Masipag.
The 63-year-old COVID-19 positive was from Brgy. Tanabag, an outskirt village located north of Puerto Princesa City. He was confined at the Ospital ng Palawan (ONP) on April 14 and died on April 21.
