No lockdown in Tacloban; class suspensions, 4-day workweek ordered

TACLOBAN CITY –– Amid the threat of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez saw no reason to implement a lockdown.

He, however, assured the public that his administration would do everything to prevent the spread of the virus in the city that has more than 200,000 people.

The measures being implemented include the cancelation of classes in all levels, both in the public and private schools from March 13 to March 20, and imposing a 4-day workweek.

At the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport, based in Tacloban City, passengers are asked to fill up a form detailing their flights and their destination for easy contact tracing if ever they would develop the symptoms of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, businessmen in Tacloban City believed the lockdown in Metro Manila would affect the number of tourists in Eastern Visayas.

“Just yesterday, we received three cancelations of bookings, which included a group of Japanese,” said Neil Benedict Montejo, whose family owns Hotel Alejandro and Hotel Lorenza.

“We were hoping that they would just like to rebook. But these were all for the cancelation of their bookings,” he added.

Rhoel Ladrera, who is into the transportation business, shared the same sentiment.

“We just hope the national government can assist and help small-medium businesses,” he said.

An Waray Party-list Representative Florencio Noel said the food supply in Eastern Visayas would also be affected.

“The region’s vegetable supply will be affected as 70 percent of our vegetables come from Luzon and will pass through Metro Manila before reaching the region,” he said./lzb