Bacolod ‘valedictorian’ in COVID management

Bacolod City may be considered a class valedictorian or first honors in managing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as validated by the high marks it received from the Department of Health and the Inter-Agency Task Force.

“If we are in school, there is no doubt that Bacolod City is the class valedictorian or one of the first honor awardees simply because we belong to the first batch of 39 LGUs (local government units) out of the more than 2,000 in the entire Philippines to be placed under Alert Level 1 by the IATF,” Mayor Evelio Leonardia said yesterday.

This means that Bacolod’s COVID management is very effective. Thanks to Vice Mayor Ed Cid Familiaran, chair of the local IATF and former Councilor and City Administrator Em Legaspi-Ang, executive director of the Emergency Operations Center-Tasks Force, and Dr. Chris Sorongon, EOC deputy, he added.

Sorongon said that as of May 1, Bacolod’s vaccination rate stands at 132 percent which is 80 percent of the LGU’s target vaccinable population or over 600,000.

For the city mayor, the hard work of EOC volunteers and vaccinators as well as the cooperation of city residents and barangay leaders are key to Bacolod success in its battle against the pandemic.

For last month alone, the mayor continued, the city posted zero COVID cases on April 16, 22, 29, and 30.

“I cannot overemphasize that the city government has been hitting its targets.

That is why, we have to continue our compliance to the minimum health protocols by wearing face masks, observing social distancing and maintaining personal hygiene and avoiding crowded places,” he said.

Bacolod remains under Alert Level 1 from May 1 to 15, the IATF said./