New patients in Angeles contract virus from birthday party, fiesta

ANGELES CITY --- Mayor Carmelo "Pogi" Lazatin, Jr. said that some of the new COVID 19 patients were infected in birthday party and fiesta celebration.

With this, the mayor asked his constituents to avoid social gatherings as cases in the city climbed to 88 as of August

3. Lazatin issued his warning to the residents after the city government observed that many people are violating safety protocols to prevent the spread of COVID 19 in the city.

"Sa kabila ng mas mahigpit na pagpapatupad natin ng mga regulasyon upang masiguro ang kaligtasan ng bawat isang Angeleno, marami parin sa atin ang matitigas ang ulo at walang malasakit sa kapwa," Lazatin said.

"Marami pa rin po ang lumalabag sa ating mga safety pr ot ocol s."

"Yung ilan po sa bagong aktibong kaso natin ay nakipag inuman, nakipagbirthday. Mayroon din pong nakipag fiesta at dumayo pa sa handaan sa ibang lugar," he added.

Some barangay councilmen in the city were also reported joining liquor drinking sessions at uploaded their gatherings on Facebook social m edi a.

Many people are not wearing their face masks, according to the local chief executive. "Marami din po ang hindi nagsusuot ng face mask."

Minors are violating the curfew, Lazatin said. "May mga kabataan din na nakatambay sa labas ng bahay hanggang hating gabi at nagba-basketball pa sa daan. Ang mga magulang mismo nakikipag kwentuhan sa labas ng bahay bitbit ang kanilang mga anak."

Lazatin said he had directed the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the city and the barangay leaders to apprehend individuals violating the quarantine protocols.

He said the Sangguniang Panlalawigan is now formulating an ordinance that will require Kapampangan workers in Metro Manila to present the result of their COVID-19 swab test before entering the province.

“Kung alam ninyong nagkaroon kayo ng close contact sa isang positive, na-swab kayo, huwag muna kayong umuwi sa inyong pamilya rito sa Pampanga, i-quarantine niyo muna ang sarili ninyo hangga’t hindi pa lumalabas ang resulta (If you know that yopu came in contact with a positive, got swabbed, don't go home to your family yet in Pampanga. Go on quarantine until the results are out),” said the governor .

He also urged the barangay officials to strictly monitor and register the citizens going in and out their areas.

"If it is not for necessary purposes, do not go out. Hihigpitan na natin ang barangay level, at kung wala pa ring pagbabago matapos ang labing-limang araw, itataas natin ang paghihigpit sa municipal level (We will tighten measures in the barangay level and if there are no improvements in 15 days, we will then tighten measures the municipal level)," Pineda said.

Not ready for 'normal' phase, retain MGCQ

According to Pineda, the province is not yet ready to go back to “normal” as long as there are still new cases being reported daily. “Hangga’t wala pa tayong hawak na vaccine, maghihigpit pa rin tayo (Until we have a vaccine, we will remain strict),” he said.

The governor also announced that he recommended to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to retain the enforcement of the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) in the province as he warned that putting the province under a wider scale of community quarantine might cripple the local economy.

“Medyo nakakabangon na po tayo, kaya nag-aalala ako na kung ibabalik natin sa dati, baka maapektuhan na naman po ang ating ekonomiya. Gagawin ko na lang po ang lahat para mas lalong palakasin ang health system natin, ang hinihingi ko lang po sa aking mga Cabalen ay disiplinahin at ingatan po ninyo ang inyong mga sarili, (We are gradually recovering and I am worried that if we go back to the previous status, our economy will be affected. I will do everything to strenghten our health system and all I ask our Cabalen is to disipline and take care of themselves)” he said.

He also asked the help and cooperation of the local chief executives in the contact-tracing and housing of the suspected carriers of the virus.

“Ang pakiusap ko lang sana, kung sakali mang biglang marami ang manggaling sa contact-tracing, kung maaari ay i-quarantine niyo muna ng dalawa hanggang tatlong araw, dahil hindi na kakayanin lahat ng probinsiya (My plea is if there will possibly be a lot who came from contact tracing, quarantine them for two to three days because the province will not be able to handle it)” Pineda said.

He also mentioned that the provincial government is willing to train medical personnel who will be deployed at different isolation areas in each city and municipality. (JTD with Jasmine D. Jaso/ Pampanga PIO)