20 areas in Quezon City placed under 14-day special concern lockdown

The Quezon City government has announced that 20 areas in five barangays will be under 14-day special concern lockdown beginning Wednesday due to the high number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases.

The areas are part of the following barangays with COVID-19 cases (as of May 11, 2020):

• Barangay Bahay Toro - 21 active cases
• Barangay Culiat - 37 active cases
• Barangay Sauyo - 19 active cases
• Barangay Batasan Hills - 29 active cases
• Barangay Tatalon - 17 active cases

In a later advisory posted on Wednesday morning on Facebook, the local government said the following areas will be under the 14-day special concern lockdown starting Wednesday, May 13:

• Sitio Militar in Brgy. Bahay Toro
• Vargas Compound-Adelfa Metro Heights-Abanay and Ancop Canada in Brgy. Culiat
• Lower Gulod in Brgy. Sauyo

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• 318 Dakila St., 2nd Alley Kalayaan B and Masbate St. in Brgy. Batasan Hills
• Victory Avenue, ROTC Hunters, BMA Avenue and Agno St. in Brgy. Tatalon

Assistant City Administrator for Operations Alberto Kimpo said the areas were initially selected by the City Health Department based on the results of community based testing done through its Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit.

“Imbis na mag-total lockdown ng buong barangay, pagtutuunan natin ng pansin ang mga partikular na lugar sa loob ng barangay na may clustering ng mga kaso ng COVID-19, maaaring ito ay isang kalsada, block, o compound," said Kimpo.

"Isa rin sa titingnan natin ay ang high-density population na hindi nakakapag-practice ng tamang quarantine protocols, kung saan malaki ang posibilidad na magkahawaan, kaya kailangan din sila isama sa containment. Mula doon, higit nating paiigtingin ang community-based testing at pag-quarantine,” he added.

Kimpo assured residents of affected areas that the city government will provide food and other assistance.

Dr. Rolly Cruz, head of the Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (ESU), said they will conduct intensified testing and monitoring in these areas to make sure they are COVID-free after the 14-day quarantine period ends.

Quarantine officers from the newly formed “QC Laban COVID-19” team will on hand to ensure that implementation of the strict enforcement of quarantine rules.

The team is composed of members from the City Health Department, the Quezon City Police District, Special Action Force, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Joint Task Force-National Capital Region under Brig. Gen. Alex Luna.

The ESU will be accompanied by two personnel from the QCPD and three from the AFP, including one regular officer and two reservists.

“More than 200 members of the QCPD-AFP-SAF contingent will undergo training on the process of implementing quarantine rules and monitoring of confirmed and possible COVID-19 cases,” Cruz said.

The quarantine officers will also conduct information dissemination on how to combat the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

Mayor Joy Belmonte urged citizens to fully cooperate with the local government’s effort to combat COVID-19.

"Kailangan namin ang tulong ng lahat para mapigilan ang pagkalat ng virus na ito. Inaasahan namin ang inyong buong kooperasyon para mapagtagumpayan ang laban kontra COVID," she said. —BAP/KG, GMA News