MANILA, Philippines — Wrapped in personal protective equipment, a mayor from a municipality in Zamboanga Sibugay personally drove his constituents who tested positive for COVID-19 to an isolation facility.
Malangas Mayor Marcelo Bacquial, an electrical engineer by profession, picked up 11 COVID-19 patients from different barangays in the municipality on Sunday. He dropped them off at the Ligtas COVID Center, according to Infinite Radio DXIR FM 94.3, a radio station based in Ipil, Zamboanga, Sibugay.
Bacquial stepped in to take over the duties of the official ambulance driver who had worked nearly 24 hours that day.
To relieve the driver from fatigue, the mayor drove the patients with the help of Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Attorney Joie Luza.
Based on earlier details, Bacquial likewise personally handled the purchase of food supplies for the isolation facility to meet the nutritional requirements of the patients.
The Philippines has been experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases, recording more than 10,000 daily cases for consecutive days.
On Monday, the Philippines hit an all-time high of 22,366 new cases, the most daily cases since the pandemic began.
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