DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, July 9 (PIA) -- The Canlaon City government was able to build its own Emerging Infectious Disease (EID) Center through the funding of the national government under the Bayanihan Act.

Canlaon City Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas revealed in an interview with Presidential Communications Operations Office Sec. Martin Andanar during the PCOO Network Briefing News on July 8 that his local government received P43,092,804 as funding assistance under the Bayanihan Act. 

Around P20 million was used for the construction of the EID Center and another P20 million was utilized to buy food packs and other medical supplies for the city’s medical frontliners.

The EID Center is used as quarantine and isolation facility for COVID-19 patients in Canlaon City.

Cardenas said Canlaon City is the only local government unit (LGU) in Negros Oriental to build such a facility.

“It is also our bragging rights na ang lungsod ng Canlaon ang nakagawa ng tangible project out of the fund na binigay ng national government (We are proud that only Canlaon City was able to come up with a tangible project like this based on the funds that were given by the national government,” Cardenas said.

The mayor also shared how they handle COVID-19 positive individuals.

“We are compassionate. Hinahayaan natin na home quarantine provided, na iyong mga bahay nila i-aasses ng health workers natin. Kung pumasa yung bahay nila pwede i-home quarantine. Kapag hindi, iyong positive person nilalagay natin sa EID center (We are compassionate. We allow the patient to undergo home quarantine provided that the house should pass the assessment of our health workers. If it is not suitable for home quarantine, then the patient will be transferred to the EID),” Cardenas said.

The mayor added that while a person is under quarantine, the city government provides food packs through the Department of Social Welfare and Development for the quarantined individuals and their family. 

Cardenas also reported that as of July 8, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the city is at 253 with 190 recoveries, 64 active cases, and two deaths. 

The mayor said there is high public acceptance of vaccines in his city, noting that the number of residents who have completed their vaccination is around 1,000 to 2,000.

One of their strategies to deepen the public’s appreciation of the vaccine was to reach out to religious and community leaders who would help the LGU in promoting the benefits of the vaccine. 

The Canlaon City Health Office also holds regular barangay visitation to convince people to get themselves vaccinated. 

“Sa vaccination plan, nagbabarangay-barangay na kami. Nag-resurvey kami dahil iyong unang turnout ay two percent (lang) iyong nag-submit na magpabakuna. We only targeted 150 (persons) per barangay. So far nadi-deliver ang targets namin (For our vaccination plan, we go down to the barangays. We conducted another survey because initially, only two percent of our people have submitted themselves for vaccination. After that, we have set the target of 150 persons per barangay. So far we were able to meet our targets),” Cardenas said.

The mayor said they started reaching out to the community leaders and they led by example, with barangay captains and officials availing of the vaccines until the LGU achieved a domino effect and more people were vaccinated. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)