Bulacan set to implement zoning strategy vs. Covid-19

CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan – Village chiefs in this province have been equipped with the necessary knowledge and information on how to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) at the community level.

Darwin David, provincial director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), told local newsmen on Saturday that barangay officials underwent orientation on zoning containment strategy or localized lockdown last Thursday, an approach developed by the National Task Force for Covid-19.

David said local governments, with the concurrence of their respective Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (RIATF) were encouraged to place areas -- whether a street, purok, barangay or the whole city or municipality -- under localized lockdown which is proven effective in curbing the dreaded virus at the ground level.

DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2 series of 2020 contains the operational guidelines on the application of zoning containment strategy in a locality.

Dr. Joy Gomez, chief of the Provincial Health Office-Public Health, said many local officials in the province are not aware of the memorandum, "thus, only a few of them were able to implement the strategy in their localities".

David said the zoning containment strategy will focus on the areas identified as critical zone (CrZ) or the areas where the initial number of cases or several clustering are identified, containment zone (CZ) or the area without new cases but are adjacent to a geographical unit categorized as CrZ, buffer zone (BZ) or the areas without new cases but are adjacent to areas categorized as CZ, areas outside buffer zone (OBZ) or the remaining areas without new cases not categorized as CZ or BZ.

Governor Daniel Fernando has earlier cited the vital role of barangay officials in identifying the areas that need attention.

“Bilang mga lingkod barangay, ang Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ay nakabase sa inyong pag-aaral para sa pagsasagawa ng planong localized lockdown. Kailangan po natin magtulungan para matukoy natin ang lugar dito sa lalawigan na kailangang mapagtuunan ng nararapat na aksyon (As barangay servants, the provincial government depends on your study for the implementation of the planned localized lockdown. We need to help each other to identify the areas here in the province that need to be addressed with appropriate action),” he told the village officials.

Meanwhile, a total of 32 new confirmed cases, two recoveries and one death from Covid-19 were reported in this province as of Saturday afternoon.

The total confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the province is now 1,078, out of which 692 are active status.

On the other hand, the total number of those who have recovered from the dreaded disease is 340 while the death tally is 46.

Out of the new confirmed cases, the City of San Jose del Monte reported 14 new cases; Malolos City and Bocaue with three cases each; Hagonoy, Angat and Meycauayan with two cases each; and Paombong, Marilao, San Miguel, Sta. Maria, Calumpit and Doña Remedios Trinidad with one case each.

The oldest of the new Covid-19 cases is an 82-year-old woman from the City of Meycauayan while the youngest is an eight-month-old baby boy from the City of San Jose del Monte. (PNA)

 

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https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1110101
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