Makati gov’t tightens watch on establishments to avert coronavirus outbreak

MANILA, Philippines — The Makati government on Thursday ordered business and commercial establishments in the city, including Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogo) firms, to submit a list of its employees who recently traveled to China as a preventive measure against the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

“The City Administrator, acting on the mayor’s orders, has directed all business and commercial establishments, including POGOs, to immediately submit to the city the list of all employees who have recently visited mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau,” read a statement from the Makati City Information and Community Relations Department (ICRD).

Establishments that would fail to submit will have their business permits revoked, Makati’s ICRD said.

In the same statement, Makati Mayor Abby Binay encouraged owners and management of hotels, condominiums and Pogo firms to cooperate with the local government’s procedures in combatting the novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD).

“These times demand a unified and coordinated action from all sectors. The city government appeals to all our stakeholders to cooperate and support policies and measures being undertaken to avert a health crisis in our city,” Binay said.

Aside from this, the Makati government’s health personnel will use infrared thermometers to scan the temperature of city employees and visitors before entering Makati City Hall and other barangay health centers.

Rescue, engineering and health workers of the Makati government are also currently converting the city’s Friendship Suites, a building used for a hotel, into an isolation facility for those infected with 2019-nCoV ARD.

However, the local government reiterated that there are no confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in Makati City.

The Department of Health (DOH) recently announced that there are 133 persons being investigated for suspected novel coronavirus.

Of the 133, 42 persons under investigation are from Metro Manila. The DOH, however, did not disclose the specific locations of these PUIs.