Pateros COVID-19 cases down by 40% —mayor

Granular lockdowns have cut down by 40 percent the number COVID-19 cases in the municipality of Pateros, Mayor Miguel Ponce III said Friday.

“Two weeks ago, kung ikukumpara ko 'yung datos, bumaba ang aming COVID-positive by 40 percent. Medyo malaki ito,” Ponce said at the Laging Handa briefing.

(If we compare the data two weeks ago, we could see that the number of our COVID-positive cases declined by 40 percent, a huge decline.) 

Two weeks ago, we had 800 COVID-19 cases. But now, we have 400 cases. We are seeing a decline, Ponce added in a mix of English and Filipino.

As of September 30, 2021, there were 454 total active cases in Pateros.

However, Ponce said the decline was sporadic as there were instances that Pateros' COVID-19 numbers were high, but sometimes low.

On the other hand, the mayor said that granular lockdown as an approach is effective, but it is also costly for some local government units.

“Bagama't kahit effective dito, talagang hirap na hirap din ang local government unit na magpatupad nito dahil nga sa cost-sharing. Dati malaki ang nagiging partisipasyon ng ating national government. Ngayon, naghahati,” Ponce said.

[While granular lockdown is effective in Pateros, it is really difficult for the local government units to implement it because of the cost-sharing. Before, the national government had a bigger participation. But Now, the cost is divided fairly with the LGU.]

No discrimination

In late September, some reports said that yellow ribbons were placed in front of houses of those with COVID-19 cases in Pateros.

But Ponce insisted that he sees no discrimination or human rights violation with the scheme. —LBG, GMA News