“We have been preparing for a COVID-19 surge since April,” said Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.
Defensor assured that funding from the 2021 annual budget has been set aside for procurement of equipment or hiring of additional medical personnel.
The provincial government of Iloilo manages the Iloilo Provincial Hospital and 12 other smaller hospitals scattered in five districts.
“If needed, we will have additional beds in these hospitals,” Defensor said.
In case of overflow, the provincial government will utilize the Iloilo Sports Complex, a sports arena it owns in this city.
Aside from additional beds and utilization of the Iloilo Sports Complex, the said the Iloilo Provincial Hospital in Pototan has spare COVID-19 testing machines at the COVID-19 molecular laboratory.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. (Tara Yap / MANILA BULLETIN)
In a press conference Friday, Defensor clarified that resorts and other tourist destinations under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) are allowed by the national government.
“It is allowed as long as it can only allow 50 percent of its capacity,” Defensor reiterated.
Last month, Defensor was seriously considering closing tourist spots in the 42 towns and component city of Passi as gatherings of many people may contribute to surge of COVID-19 cases.
But Defensor pointed out that tourist spots have to implement the provincial government’s rules.
“For instance, resorts should only allow people from the same household to visit,” Defensor said.
Published April 22, 2021, 2:32 PM
ILOILO CITY – The provincial government of Iloilo is planning to purchase 275,000 doses of Sputnik V, the Russian-made vaccine against COVID-19.
SEAT OF POWER IN ILOILO – The Iloilo Provincial Capitol in Iloilo City is the seat of the Iloilo provincial government. (TARA YAP/MANILA BULLETIN)
Iloilo Provincial Administrator Suzette Mamon said Thursday that Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. sent last April 21 a letter of intent addressed to Gamaleya Research Institute, a branch of Russia’s Ministry of Health that manufactures Sputnik V.
“We are looking into Sputnik V as it is the only one available in the market right now,” Mamon said.
No need for border restrictions with Negros Occ, Iloilo guv says visayandailystar.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from visayandailystar.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. of Iloilo province. (Tara Yap/Manila Bulletin)
“We need to put in measures to stop its sudden surge,” Defensor said.
While the Iloilo provincial government has not yet decided, Defensor said that temporary closure of tourist spots in the 42 towns and component city of Passi is seriously being considered.
The governor said that the previous Christmas and New Year holidays should be a lesson that COVID-19 cases can surge when government can no longer implement protocols and allow mass gathering of people.
“If we do not consider (temporary closure of tourist spots this summer), we will definitely see a rise in the number of cases,” Defensor said.