Baguio mayor: No room for politics in health crisis

CITY HALL BEAT

Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY -- Mayor Benjamin Magalong appealed to residents to set aside politics and concentrate on the ongoing efforts to control the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“It saddens me that amidst the health crisis that we are confronted with, some people still have the temerity to talk politics,” he said.

He said these people had “dared to remind me either subtly or openly of my supposed political obligations to them: ‘Mayor, huwag mo kaming kakalimutan alalahanin mo sinuportahan ka namin. Baka magtampo kami sa iyo, makalimutan ka namin.’"

“It is disheartening and downright infuriating to hear these words uttered amid a raging war against an unseen yet insidious enemy;

“For the past weeks, we have been exerting our utmost efforts to lay down all possible systems to protect our constituency from the contagion. This we did with nary a thought to please or return favor to anybody;

“I made a commitment. I will always do what is right for the people of Baguio. We were never selective in everything that we do. All I wanted is to prevent the further transmission of the virus while ensuring the steady provision of the basic needs of the community. After all, this virus does not choose its victims;

“Political advancement is the farthest thing in our mind right now. We have a virus to conquer and a city to protect. So we appeal to our people: set aside politics and for once do as humans do -- care and overcome.”

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The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) finally confirmed today the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) diagnosis of a 55-year old female resident who died last March 19 bringing the total of positive cases in the city to 14 including five recoveries.

City Health Officer Dr. Rowena Galpo said the patient was initially tested last March 18 by the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center that yielded a positive result but this had to be sent to the RITM for confirmation.

At that time, BGHMC was not yet certified by the RITM to provide confirmatory tests.

Since her initial positive findings at the BGHMC, the patient had been listed in the presumptive death column of the city's case tracker infographics.

This after Mayor Magalong insisted on breaking free from the Department of Health protocol on announcing cases ahead of the RITM confirmatory tests giving rise to the coining of a classificatory term "presumptive case" at least at the regional level.

This particular patient's case also prompted the mayor to order the conduct of contact tracing ahead of the RITM confirmation to isolate the contacts immediately and prevent possible transmission.

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Mayor Magalong appealed Friday to owners of apartments and other residential rental establishments in the city to totally waive the rental charges for tenants financially affected by the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) health crisis.

The mayor promised to work out with the city council the grant of incentives to those who will heed his request.

He said a lot of individuals and families had been seriously impacted financially by the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine.

"I hope that owners of these residential units will find it in their hearts to show compassion by waiving the payment of the monthly rent of their renters to help ease the burdens of these affected individuals and families," the mayor said.

The Dept. of Trade and Industry Memorandum Circular No. 20-12 entitled Guidelines on the Concessions on Residential and Commerical Rents of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMES) provides that owners of bedspaces, rooms, dormitories, apartment, houses, buildings and/or land grant a minimum of 30 days grace period on residential rent falling due within the ECQ period without interest or penalty.

The mayor said it would be ideal if the owners would go beyond the guidelines and totally forego with the charges.