No roaming: ‘Barangays with no cases must be protected to the max’ – Garbin

MANILA, Philippines — There should be “absolutely no people roaming” in barangays (communities) with no reported cases of the novel coronavirus disease, a lawmaker said Friday. 

“Barangays with no cases must be protected to the max. Absolutely no people roaming,” AKO BICOL Partylist Rep. Alfredo Garbin said in a statement. 

Garbin said that local government units (LGUs), particularly those with confirmed COVID-19 cases, patients under investigation (PUIs), and persons under monitoring (PUMs) should likewise focus on data in their vicinity, and not on the national data. 

“They must focus on their micro situation and of the neighboring cities and towns,” the lawmaker said. 

Further, Garbin said barangays with confirmed cases should segregate and isolate the COVID-19 positive, PUIs, PUMs, and frontliners in adequate temporary care facilities.

“The goal is to get ahead of the virus, not simply run after it. Anticipating where it could go next, stop it from getting there, and push it back with containment and isolation measures,” Garbin said. 

“Let the administrators, department heads, and other officials address the economic and social impact. The LGU chief executive must stay focused on COVID-19 itself,” he added. 

The lawmaker also underscored the importance of enhanced testing during the quarantine imposed in the Luzon region. 

“Enhanced Community Quarantine cannot flatten the curve without enhanced testing. In the absence of more systematic testing even for only the most vulnerable sectors (medical workers, PUIs, PUMs, the elderly, it’s difficult to rely on current official data,” Garbin said.

“Most likely, gross underreporting of actual cases on the ground is what we are faced with at the moment,” he added. 

As of April 10, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country has risen to 4,195, with the death toll reaching 221.