ANGELES CITY (PIA) -- Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. highlighted Wednesday the continuing COVID-19 response efforts of the city government.

“A year after the COVID-19 pandemic was first felt, we continue to face the challenges of living our lives under the new normal. Amidst the chaos, we remain steadfast, in the name of public service. For us in Angeles City, it is a non-stop delivery of services at the grassroots level,” Lazatin said. 

As early as January this year, he said the city government has set aside P203 million under its supplemental budget for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines to be given to all its eligible residents. 

Lazatin said currently, they have two vaccination centers which inoculates 6,000 individuals daily to achieve their target of having herd immunity by November. 

A total of 2,189 families who contracted the virus were given food packages by the City Social Welfare and Development Office. 

Also, 7,929 individuals with COVID-19 cases were assisted by the city government via transportation from their homes to the designated quarantine facilities or hospitals and vice versa.

To accommodate increased COVID-19 cases, the city government also tapped the Hotel and Restaurants Association in Pampanga for additional quarantine facilities, wherein 306 rooms were provided for free to COVID-19 asymptomatic patients and those with mild symptoms.

“While taking the necessary steps in fighting the pandemic, we have also ensured the welfare of our nurses by increasing their salary by P12,000. From P20,000 the nurses are now receiving P32,000, which took effect this January,” Lazatin said.

The mayor added that on January 2022, nurses who are in salary grade 15 will be upgraded to salary grade 16, amounting to a P3,000 additional salary.

Meanwhile, to cushion the effects of COVID-19 to the local economy, the city extended the deadline for the business tax payment for the permit renewal of existing business establishments without penalties, from January to February 28, 2021.

“We have given consideration to local businesses whose operations are gravely hit by the pandemic, by only requiring them to pay for their actual operations’ gross income as part of their business tax,” Lazatin said. 

The City Council also passed an ordinance granting tax relief worth P100,000 to hotels, motels, and dormitories who offered free temporary housing to health workers.

To ensure the safety of Angeleños while jumpstarting the economy, the Business Permit and Licensing Division continuously monitors and inspects the compliance of the 14,151 business establishments allowed to operate with all the existing guidelines issued by the city government. 

As of June 29, the city recorded a total of 6,571 COVID-19 cases, with 5,917 recoveries and 296 deaths. (CLJD/MJSC-PIA 3)