A day after announcing that 34 barangays in Iloilo City will be placed in total lockdown due to increasing COVID-19 cases, Mayor Jerry P. Treñas said that he will no longer implement such containment.
Treñas explained that the city government could no longer provide food assistance to affected families.
“Kun i-lockdown gid ang bilog nga barangay indi ta ni sila masarangan hatagan pagkaun. Ang rationale sang total lockdown is ma-control ang transmission. Unfortunately it is impossible for us to give food assistance para sa tanan kun i-lockdown ta gid given the reasons and justifications sa IATF,” Treñas said.
Surgical lockdown will instead be imposed on affected areas or households, he added.
“Kun may lockdowns gid man, it will be surgical. Mahatag lang kita assistance for those nga na-lockdown. The rest can go on with their lives, makadto sa trabaho, maobra sila. There will be more surgical lockdowns considering nga damo cases. Surgical lockdowns will be limited to the houses of those affected,” Treñas said.
On Monday, Treñas cancelled his Executive Order No. 150 regarding the total lockdown on 34 barangays after finding out that the data of City Health Office (CTO) and City Epidemiological Surveillance Unit (CESU) on COVID-case does not add up.
“I would like to inform all my beloved constituents that there has been a discrepancy in the data of COVID-19 cases in Iloilo City. It is with the same reason why we released the EO late this afternoon. With that remark, final announcement regarding the barangay lockdown will be posted tomorrow (Tuesday, September 29) after the recommendation from the Iloilo City COVID Team,” Treñas said.
