Tuguegarao relief ops postponed until Dec. 21 due to rise in COVID-19 cases

Relief operations for parts of Tuguegarao City that were mostly affected by widespread floods in November were suspended following the rise in COVID-19 cases there.

Health protocols were allegedly not followed during relief efforts, according to a Balitanghali report by Jonathan Andal on Wednesday.

Tuguegarao City Mayor Jefferson Soriano said the suspension will last until December 21, or when the situation is placed under control.

Prior to this, Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba had recommended to place Tuguegarao City under a stricter Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ).

The national government however did not approve of the request, and instead gave the regional Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) up to December 20 to control the rise in cases.

If this will not be accomplished, Tuguegarao City will be placed under MECQ.

The government had also placed Isabela under General Community Quarantine (GCQ).

Aside from the province's daily attack and growth rate, the move to GCQ status was also recommended by Governor Rodolfo Albano III.

The GCQ status will last until December 31, but will exclude Santiago City.

Tuguegarao City and other parts of Cagayan, as well as Isabela were heavily flooded during the aftermath of Typhoon Ulysses (international name: Vamco) last month. —Jamil Santos/KG, GMA News