By Mar T. Supnad
WHEN the clock struck 12 early today, Aug. 8, the local government of Mariveles in Bataan started to implement a 48-hour “modified lockdown’ in an apparent effort to ensure prevention of an escalated figure on COVID-19 contamination.
In her weekly update to her constituents, Mariveles Mayor Jocelyn Castańeda hinted at the urgent need to secure their locality and control spread of the deadly virus through drastic measures, which would not only delve on human movement but also deals on transportation.
Castańeda, together with local police chief Col. Ronald Almirol, health and barangay officials Roberto Arcenal of Alas-asin and Al Balan of Alion, all agreed to further impose restriction such as impounding of vehicles that violate local laws.
Aside from impounding the vehicle, its occupants will also be held and slap with sanctions “to teach them a lesson.”
The feisty lawyer turned local chief executive pointed out that this is to control the possible spread of the dreaded virus with the simultaneous infection of residents. To date, Mariveles has recorded 87 cases of Covid-19 infection with two deaths.
Capt. Roberto M. Arcenal (center) leads the implementation of first day of 48-hour modified lockdown based on Municipal Executive Order No. 038-2020 issued by Mayor Jocelyn P. Castañeda (inset). The municipal order calls for ‘Strict Implementation of the Guidelines on Modified General Community Quarantine through a Modified Lockdown for Forty-Eight (48) Hours’ in Barangay Alasasin, Mariveles, Bataan. Also in photo are: chief tanod Elmer P. Valdez and other tanod members on duty. (Photo by Mar T. Supnad)
Castańeda expressed strong suspicion that most of their cases were caused by the virus that was brought in by those coming in from places outside of the province, thus requiring more stringent measures, like border management and control if only to protect their constituents.
The local police chief, Col. Almirol, for his part underscored a tie-up with the barangay peacekeeping force in manning the checkpoints on major entry points to the town for the duration of the lockdown.
Travel in and out of Mariveles will be generally restricted, Castañeda pointed out, except for health and emergency frontline service personnel; government officials and frontline personnel; duly authorized humanitarian assistance and those traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons.
Citing her Executive Order No.33, Mayor Castańeda said they are discouraging the mass and religious gatherings, while she said they are also encouraging online preaching.
The lady mayor also appealed to the barangay captains to just ensure asymptomatic persons believed to have been infected, are confined at the quarantine facilities if only to de-clog their hospitals.
Meanwhile, Mayor Castańeda immediately approved the request of barangay captains to grant meal allowance to tanods manning checkpoints in the barangay.