Mt Prov town free from Covid

By Liza Agoot 

SADANGA, Mountain Province -- This remote town in the border of Kalinga and Mountain Province remains free of Covid-19.
Ignacio Pangket, executive assistant of Sadanga Mayor Gabino Ganggangan, during the second session of the Regional Dagyaw 2020 "Usapang Gobyerno: Coping and thriving with Covid-19 IP concerns”, on Thursday in Baguio City said they hope to sustain the status and continue to be free of the virus.
    Pangket said instilling discipline among the residents has contributed to the Covid-free status of the town.
    “Our people always observe the minimum health standards set by the DOH (Department of Health),” he said.
    He also said among the priority interventions of the local government unit is to strictly limit the entry of travelers in their jurisdiction.
    “This is still in effect in our town,” he said.
    He said since the declaration of the Luzon-wide lockdown in March, the residents’ observance of the cultural practices related to lockdown contributed to the safety of the people.
    He said the natives of Sadanga has a “Te-er”, which enjoins residents to stay home and solemnly observe “rest period” and allow the ritual to ward off illnesses to take effect.
    Pangket said when the elders declare the te-er, everyone is mandated to adhere to and observe the traditional practice.
    For the Sadanga people, it is taboo not to follow the Te-er because it is the elders saying so and there exists another cultural practice that defines the dos and don’ts or the “inayan” that was passed on by the elders.
    In essence, violators of rules declared by the elders are fined or penalized thus making people follow.
    The official said that while people are at home observing the quarantine, they did not worry about survival and food because cultural practices also dictate that those who have more must share with those who have less or none, that it is why people did not insist on going out.
    “Our society, our people have the inner resources like values of justice, fairness, industry, solidarity, ecological worldview and built-in or indigenous mechanisms which the government can tap in order to effectively address the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Pangket said. -- PNA