Parties, videoke sessions cause virus cases spike

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has reminded her city’s barangay heads to strictly enforce quarantine protocols as the local government discovered that birthday parties and videoke sessions caused the recent rise in its coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases.

According to Belmonte, “most of the causes for the spread of COVID-19 cases in areas” recently placed under special concern lockdown (SCL) “were due to various unauthorized activities,” which she “regrettably” said, could be preventable.

“There were reports that residents in the said areas had drinking sessions, boodle fights, wakes that exceeded limitations in duration and number of attendees, and even played basketball and volleyball,” Belmonte said in a statement on Saturday.

Following her discovery, the local chief executive met with the city’s 142 barangay heads to reiterate to them their responsibility in enforcing quarantine regulations.

She also expressed alarm over the situation, particularly in areas under lockdown.

Belmonte ordered the barangay heads to apprehend quarantine violators, conduct foot patrols to disseminate information to residents, enforce curfew hours and strictly regulate the sale of alcoholic beverages.

“We also remind barangay officials that the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is constantly monitoring if they are cooperating with the city government. Failure to do so may lead to the filing of administrative cases against both local and barangay officials,” she added.