Masantol town still Covid-19 free
MASANTOL - Amid the rising number of positive cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the province and across the country, this municipality remains free from the virus as of yesterday noon.
The local government and police seem to be taking advantage of the town's geographical location being at the southern-most part of the province to secure the community and its people from the dreaded COVI D-19.
Since the enhanced community quarantine was implemented in Luzon, Masantol police, together with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and local government, has earnestly manned the checkpoints installed at the town's borders.
According to town's chief of police Major Elias Tait, all non-residents of Masantol are not allowed entry except for those delivering essential goods and services, provided that they present necessary documents from concerned government agencies.
Residents of Masantol who traveled from another place, meanwhile, need to go through rigorous process before they can come home, Tait furthered.
"They need to present identification cards or certifications that show they are really from Masantol. After that, they will be disinfected by and interviewed to distinguished if they must be considered persons under monitoring (PUM)," he said.
All vehicles who pass by the border checkpoints are also disinfected by BFP to ensure that virus, if any, will be washed out prior to vehicle's entry to town.
Currently, Tait said checkpoints manned by local police are placed on four borders of this town namely in Barangay San Nicolas, Kalsadang Bayu, Sitio Putat at the dike, left bank portion of the Pampanga River.
Mayor Danilo Guintu, for his part, said that while Masantol remains COVID-19 free, the local government is still strictly monitoring the total 235 PUMs and four persons under investigation this town.
"We are under daily monitoring of the Municipal Health Office to check on their situations. We are also in close coordination with the Department of Health for any possible updates that we can disseminate to PUMs and PUIs and the public," he said.
Guintu also noted that distribution of relief goods is continuously in town to assist those heavily-affected with the implementation of home quarantine, as well as limit the movement of public.
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO— The the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) regional office here donated hundreds of packs to frontliners and families to soften the effect of the on-going community quarantine to stem the spread of the corona virus.
DOST said that around 400 families in Brgy. Maimpis, which hosts the Regional Government Center in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga received food packs along with the medical staff of the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospitalin San Fernando, Pampanga and Diosdado P. Macapagal Memorial Hospital located along Olongapo-Gapan road, received the same.
Members of the Philippine National Policeand barangay officers manning the checkpoints along Jose Abad Santos Avenue, Brgy. Del Pilar in the same city and Brgy. Lagundi, in Mexico, Pampanga also received the food packs.
The food packs contain veggie buns, rice monggocrunchies and calamansi juice. It also contain one washable face mask. The first batch of assistance totaling 1,100 pieces were distributed last April 4 and will continue until after the Holy Week. A total of 10,500 food packs will be distributed.
Another 1,100food packs were picked up by representatives from the Pampanga Provincial Police Office in the persons of PSSg Henry Manuel, from the Provincial Police Strategy Management Unit and PSSg Jayson Aronce, of the Police Community Affairs and Development Office; Miss MadelenJezer, Nutritionist-Dietician received the goods for the JBLMRH while Miss Erica Joy Paule and Leslie Ann Sarmeinto, both Social Welfare Officers, received the donation for DPMMH.
Dr. Julius Caesar V. Sicat, DOST Region III director said this effort is part of the One DOST Against Covid-19 initiative meant to alleviate the adverse effects of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine now entering into its fourth week of implementation.
He said the effort would not have been possible without the assistance of DOST Region III program partners who did not hesitate to extend help when contacted by DOST as well as private donors who volunteered to help.
“We would like to thank Culinarya Pampanga for formulating the veggie nutri buns, and baked by Lailen’s Bakeshop, a DOST-SETUP beneficiary; the DOST Food and Nutrition Research Institute for the munggo rice crunchies produced by the GintongKusina Producers Cooperative of Guiguinto, Bulacan and the Calamansi Growers and Rice Producers Cooperative of Concepcion, Tarlac, for going on extended work hours to produce and deliver the calamansi juice,” Sicat said.
"The local government, together with the local police and firemen, are doing everything we can to safeguard our constituents from the virus, as well as provide assistance for them through relief operations," he said.
"We also would like to acknowledge and express gratitude to business establishments and private individuals who pour in their donations to help their needy kabalens. Their generosity play a vital role in our goal to immediately suppress COVID-19," he furthered.