MARILAO, Bulacan — The municipal government of Marilao highlighted its various strategies to contain coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
During the visit of the Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE) team members in the town, Incident Management Team (IMT) Planning Section Chief Reymond Allan Santos said they have many “firsts” in their response efforts.
“As early as March 10, our mayor called on all department heads to plan our preparations to respond to COVID-19 in the event that it will hit us. That same day we organized the different response clusters and activated our IMT,” Santos said.
He said the team, called the Inter-Agency Task Force On COVID-19, is responsible not only in responding to the health effects of the pandemic, but also on the governance, economic, and law and order aspects.
Among the initiatives of the local government to prevent transmission is the issuance of different memoranda, executive orders, and issuances, to ensure that the health protocols and safety standards set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) are being complied.
“We also conducted post audit monitoring to 27 dine in food establishments and fast foods, and seven salons and barber shops. In addition, we conducted daily price monitoring activities to avoid hoarding and profiteering, which led to the confiscation of seven uncalibrated weighing scales,” the planning officer said.
The municipal government, with the help of uniformed personnel and barangays officials, strictly implemented border control to ensure compliance to social distancing and other quarantine protocols.
“Due to our intensified law and order enforcement, our local police apprehended a total of 542 violators in the 16 barangays,” Santos said.
In terms of detection, the town has organized 19 contact tracing teams and trained 54 members.
The municipal government also partnered with different organizations which donated various supplies and logistics needed for its response efforts.
“We have also purchased 16 ambulances which were given to each barangay. On top of that, we have dedicated two ambulances exclusively for use of COVID suspects and patients. To date, we have admitted a total of 115 individuals in our special care facility from April 6 to August 14 and have provided personal protective equipment to our healthcare workers,” Santos said.
Aside from this, the town also partnered with the private sector for the management of COVID-19 related deaths, as well as the management of infectious wastes.
Another first in the town, according to him is the implementation of the zoning guidelines, prior to the memorandum from the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
As part of its reintegration program, the municipal government also provided psychosocial support and psychological first aid to reduce anxiety and depression.
“A total of 33,641 individuals were given aid thru the Social Amelioration Program of the national government. On top of that, we at the local level also provided financial aid to COVID suspect and positive cases worth PhP226,500, and COVID burial assistance amounting to PhP208,000,” Santos said.
The municipal government also distributed food packages to the 16 barangays during the lockdown.
“With the help of the Department of Trade and Industry, 10 beneficiaries were chosen to be given livelihood assistance under its Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay Livelihood Seeding Program. For our counterpart, we have benefitted 100 individuals for our Kabuhayan Project,” he said.
For its part, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) thru its Tulong Panghanapbuhay Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers helped 124 beneficiaries; 631 employees for its DOLE Covid 19 Adjustment Measures Program; and 369 beneficiaries for its DOLE AKAP for Overseas Filipino Workers program. In addition, 37 beneficiaries were aided through the Rebate Program of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
“As mandated by the National IATF-EID, we also provided assistance to 10 locally stranded individuals and 79 Overseas Filipinos Workers,” the planning officer said.