Ifugao gov’t offices, villages locked down

By Marcelo B. Lihgawon

LAMUT, Ifugao -- The rising cases of Covid-19 cases in the province prompted some municipal mayors to declare lockdowns and suspend work in government offices and travel to other places.
    This, as the Provincial Health Office reported as of Jan.  19, Ifugao had a total of 239 cases with 131 recoveries, 107 active and one death while 1,251 possible cases are on quarantine in the different municipalities.
    Alfonso Lista Mayor Edralin Alipio, in his executive order 01 series of 2021, imposed temporary lockdown of government offices within the municipal compound starting Jan. 19 due to seven newly confirmed cases.
Employees holding critical positions and personnel of the rural health unit in charge of swabbing and contact tracing and disinfection were exempted from the lockdown.
    The RHU, in partnership with other offices, is intensifying prevention, detection, isolation and other related health measures.
    In Asipulo, Mayor Armando Domilod placed sitios Likud and Proper of barangays Haliap and Amduntog respectively, under calculated lockdown Jan. 21 for contact tracing of the direct and secondary contacts of the new cases in said places.  
It will be extended or lifted earlier depending on the recommendation of the contact tracing team. Concerned agencies and officials were directed to ensure that the movement of people is monitored.
    In Hungduan, the Municipal Inter-Agency Task Force on Covid-19 placed also Barangay Hapao on a 24-hour lockdown starting Jan.  20 while the local government unit was closed Jan. 20-21.
    Issuance of business permits was extended on Jan. 25.
    Kiangan Mayor Raldis Andre Bulayungan also ordered lockdown in sitio Ibulao in barangays Baguinge and Matuppik in Duit which ended Jan. 20 to facilitate efficient contact tracing of the close contacts of the latest cases.
    Transactions at the municipal government offices of Banaue were suspended until further notice to give time to the contact tracing team to identify, test and manage all direct contacts of the Covid-19 case who was an LGU employee.
    In Mayoyao, Mayor Jimmy Padchanan, Jr. imposed a 3-day lockdown in Barangay Chumang and particularly Sitio Chuyong until Jan.  31 for  contact-tracing and swabbing due to new Covid-19 case in the area.
    Padchanan also temporarily suspended non-essential travels to and from the municipalities of Lamut, Alfonso Lista, Hungduan, Asipulo, Kiangan and Lagawe.
    The suspension ended Jan.  21 to give ample time to the medical teams of said municipalities to conduct efficient contact tracing and swab tests.
    Meanwhile, Banaue Mayor John Raymund Wesley Dulawan announced that LGU offices will remain closed until further notice   to enable the contact tracing team to identify, test and manage all direct contacts of an LGU employee who tested positive for Covid-19.– PIA Ifugao