Las Piñas LGU requires POGO compliance to COVID-19 health protocols

The city government of Las Pinas launched a Task Force, composed of government personnel, to give residents updates on COVID-19. Photo from City of Las Piñas Facebook Page

MANILA, Philippines — The local government of Las Piñas has required Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) in the city to follow protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which originated in Wuhan city of Hubei province in China.

In a phone interview with INQUIRER.net, Las Piñas public information office chief Jimmy Castellano said Las Pinas Mayor Imelda Aguilar formed a task force, composed of government workers, to discuss the protocols with four Pogo firms that employed over 2,000 Chinese workers in the city.

“Measures undertaken as required by local government unit are the use of thermal scanners, wearing of a surgical mask and its proper disposal, proper hygiene, update on their health status,” Castellano said.

Castellano added that the management of online service providers is mandated to use thermal scanners to check on employees for fever, which is one of the symptoms for the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), the precursor of COVID-19.

The local government also tasked Pogos to look into the travel history of their employees, he said.

“We tried to go and determine na baka galing sa China, dito nag-wo-work. So far, walang bumalik from (China),” he said, noting that some workers failed to return to the Philippines due to the government’s travel ban imposed on mainland China.

(We tried to go and determine if some of them were from China but are working here in Las Piñas but so far, no one has returned from China.)

Those entering the Philippines who recently traveled from China will be monitored and will be placed under 14-day mandatory quarantine, as per the government’s protocol.

Aside from Pogo firms, Castellano said the task force are also set to discuss protocols with owners of hotels and condominiums with Chinese tenants.

“Kahit home owners baka na may nag-re-rent na Chinese, we are also coordinating with them (Even homeowners with Chinese tenants, we will also coordinate with them),” he said.

No PUIs for COVID-19

Based on health officials of Las Piñas government, Castellano said there are no persons being investigated for the deadly virus in Pogo firms, so far.

He also assured the public that hospitals in Las Piñas are equipped to treat patients under investigation for the novel coronavirus.

In Las Piñas, the Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center is one of the regional hospitals of the Department of Health in Metro Manila.

Edited by EDV