POWER RESTORATION. Linemen work to restore electricity in Sogod, Southern Leyte in this Jan. 29, 2021 photo. Power has been restored in 110 out of 500 villages in Southern Leyte after more than a month of outage due to the destruction wreaked by Typhoon Odette. (Photo courtesy of Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative)
POWER RESTORATION. Linemen work to restore electricity in Sogod, Southern Leyte in this Jan. 29, 2021 photo. Power has been restored in 110 out of 500 villages in Southern Leyte after more than a month of outage due to the destruction wreaked by Typhoon Odette. (Photo courtesy of Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative)
TACLOBAN CITY – Electricity has been restored in 110 out of 500 villages in Southern Leyte after more than a month of power outage caused by Typhoon Odette.
The Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative (Soleco) reported on Sunday that as of January 28, at least 36,016 houses and establishments have been energized out of the 105,787 affected power consumers.
“As of this posting, 21.87 percent of villages are already partially energized within the coverage area of Soleco. Per consumer status, 34.05 percent are already energized,” Soleco said in its report.
These partially-energized communities are in Maasin City, Macrohon, Padre Burgos, Tomas Oppus, Bontoc, Sogod, Liloan, Saint Bernard, San Juan, Hinunangan, and Silago towns.
Towns that are still in darkness are, Malitbog, Libagon, San Francisco, Pintuyan, San Ricardo, Anahawan, Hinundayan, and Limasawa.
Soleco is expected to fully restore its services in mid-February.
Task Force Kapatid, composed of personnel from electric cooperatives in Eastern Visayas, has deployed over 100 linemen to repair damaged distribution facilities.
They are augmented by teams from power cooperatives in Luzon.
The Department of Energy has set March for the full restoration of power in Southern Leyte.
The power supply was severely affected after the province was pummeled by Odette on December 16, 2021 with Soleco placing the damages at P723.48 million as power poles were toppled down.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)
COVID-19 FACILITY. Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez formally received the temporary treatment and monitoring facility from Dr. Roldofo Antonio Albornoz, the assistant regional director of the Depart- ment of Health on Jan.28 which is located in Abucay district. The facility will cater COVID-19 patients considered as mild and moderate cases. Joining the Mayor Romualdez and DOH Assistant Regional Direc- tor Albornoz were Councilors Aimee Grafil, Evangeline Esperas and Elvira Casal, City Health Office Glo- ria Fabrigas, DOH Development Management Officer V Doc. Antonio Ida, DOH DMO Elsie Jaca, village chairman Ricardo Benitez and Hiraya Foundation president Raymund Romualdez.
(ALFRED ROMUALDEZ FACEBOOK)
COVID-19 FACILITY. Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez formally received the temporary treatment and monitoring facility from Dr. Roldofo Antonio Albornoz, the assistant regional director of the Depart- ment of Health on Jan.28 which is located in Abucay district. The facility will cater COVID-19 patients considered as mild and moderate cases. Joining the Mayor Romualdez and DOH Assistant Regional Direc- tor Albornoz were Councilors Aimee Grafil, Evangeline Esperas and Elvira Casal, City Health Office Glo- ria Fabrigas, DOH Development Management Officer V Doc. Antonio Ida, DOH DMO Elsie Jaca, village chairman Ricardo Benitez and Hiraya Foundation president Raymund Romualdez. (ALFRED ROMUALDEZ FACEBOOK)
The regional campaign starts Monday
TACLOBAN CITY- At least a million individuals across the region are being targeted of the three-day vaccination campaign of the Department of Health (DOH) which started Monday (Jan. 31).
With this regional vaccination, the DOH expects that almost 100 percent of the total population of the region could receive the much needed vaccine against coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Out of the region’s more than 4.86 million people, around 53.3 percent of them have received the vaccine either for first dose or second dose.
On Monday, the three-day regional vaccination drive started with the DOH reporting of 60 new cases of COVID-19, the lowest daily new cases since the start of the year.
Still, the decrease of new cases should not be considered that the COVID-19 cases in the region are slowing down, Jelyn Lopez Malibago, DOH regional information officer, said.
The 60 new cases for COVID-19 was its lowest since the start of the year which also saw the region posting a record-breaking 879 cases last Jan. 20.
Since the start of the year, the region posted its lowest daily cases on Jan.2 with just three cases. Since then, its daily cases have been in the upward.
“It is still early to say that our cases are on a decline. These 60 new cases are just from the 273 samples tested (from two COVID-19 testing laboratories),” Malibago said.
The region has four COVID-19 laboratories with a new one in Southern Leyte still not operating.
Of the 60 new cases, 46 were from Leyte province of which Tacloban City posting 16 new cases; six from Southern Leyte; four in Eastern Samar; three in Samar; and one from Biliran.
Its total active cases are now at 2,354.
Malacanang has announced that the provinces of Biliran and Southern Leyte will be placed under Alert Level 2 beginning tomorrow, Feb.1 while the rest of the region to include its capital city of Tacloban will be categorized under a stricter Alert Level 3.
The DOH said that they hope that those who remain unvaccinated due to some reason will avail the three-day vaccination drive.
Aside from the unvaccinated, target for this three-day activity are those with due missed doses and booster doses.
“With the active implementation of vaccination activities supported by local government units in the region, we highly encourage the public to get vaccinated,” the DOH said on its bulletin.
“As we proceed to giving additional or booster doses, the DOH reiterates the importance of prioritizing vaccination among those who are yet to receive their primary series as our goal in achieving herd immunity remains in action,” it added.
Here in Tacloban City, aside from the Tacloban city astrodome, the sites for the massive campaign will be the City Health Office, Robinsons Place, and several barangay health units and gymnasiums.
DOH said Tacloban City has reached 68 percent, Ormoc City with 66.5 percent, Biliran with 65.3 percent, Southern Leyte with 57.5 percent, Eastern Samar with 55.6 percent, Leyte with 51.1 percent, Northern Samar with 47.6 percent, and Western Samar with 47.3 percent of its actual population being vaccinated with at least one dose.
Meanwhile, 62.1 percent of the total population in Biliran are now fully vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccines, followed by Tacloban City with 60.9 percent, 57.8 percent in Ormoc City, 50 percent in Eastern Samar, 48.7 percent in Southern Leyte, 43.4 percent in Leyte, 39.7 percent in Western Samar, and 37.5 percent in Northern Samar.
TACLOBAN CITY – The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Northern Samar has approved on third and final reading an ordinance that restricts the movements of unvaccinated individuals in the province.
The measure is part of the response of the provincial government amid increasing cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Northern Samar.
The ordinance, which was approved last January 21 regular session of the provincial board, prohibits all unvaccinated individuals from leaving their houses except when accessing for essential goods or accessing medical and health services.
Unvaccinated individuals are also prohibited from going to restaurants, hotels, malls, sports event venues, gyms, and other commercial establishments.
Employees who are unvaccinated will have to present a negative RT-PCR every two weeks before they are allowed to return or report to their work.
The ordinance also encourages all establishments and offices in the province to display a “no vaccination card, no entry,” signage.
The ordinance will take it effectively once the Provincial Legal Office and the Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force and the Office of SP Secretary craft the implementing rules and regulation (IRR), and publication in general circulation.
Northern Samar is the first local government unit in Eastern Visayas that creates a local law imposing restrictions on movements of unvaccinated individuals.
Prior to the approval of the enactment of this ordinance, Governor Edwin Ongchuan had issued a local executive order restricting movements of unvaccinated individuals.
The order covers not only access to private and public establishments but also prohibits unvaccinated residents from using public transport
Based on the data from the Department of Health, Northern Samar is on the bottom in vaccination status at 284,877 individuals 60.2% who had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccines while 214, 105 or 45.3% are fully vaccinated.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
TACLOBAN CITY- “Take a rest after getting the COVID-19 shot.”
Thus said Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez as he reminded Taclobanons during a press briefing held on January 20, at the City Hall as cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the city continue to increase.
He further asked help from the media to use their platform in conveying the message to the people about the importance of taking a rest for five to seven days after getting the vaccine, may it be the first dose, second dose, or booster shot.
“Rest. Give your body time to recognize the vaccine and build up antibodies,” he said, pointing out how the immune system drops after getting the shot which gives one a greater chance to contract a virus especially that it is still flu season.
Seeing the trend of transmission happening inside the homes, Mayor Romualdez emphasized the need to check on each family member.
“This is the time that family members look out for each other. It’s about time to pay attention sa iyong kapatid. Pay attention to your mom, to your dad. Magtulungan kayo dito. Hindi ninyo pwedeng pabayaan ang isa’t-isa, “ the mayor said.
“I don’t want to do drastic measures in locking down the city. Malayo pa tayo d’yan, pero baka umabot tayo d’yan kung hindi tayo mag-iingat,” Mayor Romualdez added.
With 60 new cases reported on Monday (Jan.24) by the Department of Health (DOH)-EV, Tacloban City has currently 697 active COVID-19 cases.
However, with the 5-11 years old kids included in the population to be vaccinated starting February, the city government is hopeful for a much stronger immunity in the community.
Meanwhile, let us remain vigilant and observant of the minimum health protocols. Wearing of facemask, maintaining physical distance, and keeping the immune system strong are still the basic practices to do, especially now that Covid-19 has become highly transmissible.
(TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)
As N. Samar to appeal its Alert Level 4 classification
TACLOBAN CITY- A health official of the region has raised an alarm that more areas in the region could be placed under Alert Level 4, the second-highest COVID-19 alert level system due to their increasing hospital bed utilization.
Presently, the province of Northern Samar was classified under Alert Level 4 though this was objected by its provincial health official saying their current condition does not fit the metrics for such classification.
Dr. Marc Steven Capungcol, chief of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) of the Department of Health(DOH), said that among the areas in the region that are likely to be placed under Alert Level 4 are Biliran, and the cities of Tacloban and Ormoc.
These areas, based on the data of the DOH, are experiencing high hospital bed utilization, among the conditions set for an area to be classified under Alert Level 4.
Based on the bulletin issued by the DOH on Monday (Jan.24), Biliran province has the highest hospital bed utilization at 82.93%, followed by Ormoc City at 79.66% and Tacloban City at 78.65%.
Meantime, Leyte’s hospital bed utilization rate is at 63.94%, Samar with 56.59%, Southern Leyte at 47.71%, and Eastern Samar at 25.24%.
Eastern Visayas, at present, has hospital bed utilization at 59.79 percent or at medium risk.
According to Capungcol, the increase in the hospitalization bed rate in these areas are due mainly to the confinement of asymptomatic and mild cases of COVID-19.
“Based on the data, there are many hospitals from these provinces that are still admitting asymptomatic and mild cases,” he said.
And for this situation to be corrected, Capungcol urged the local government units to ask their COVID-19 patients who are asymptomatic or considered as mild cases to just isolate them at their isolation facilities and not brought them to hospitals.
Based on the DOH records, of the region’s 4,004 active COVID-19 cases, 69.11% of them are classified as asymptomatic,30.69% as mild, 0.25% as severe and zero as critical.
Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez earlier made an appeal to his fellow local chief executives to manage their asymptomatic COVID-19 patients at their respective localities to avoid crowding of hospitals of the city.
Romualdez said that only severe and critical cases should be sent to hospitals in the city for medical and health care.
Meantime, Dr.Ninfa Kam, health officer of Northern Samar, said that they will be appealing to the IATF to change the classification of Northern Samar to just Alert Level 3 just like the rest of the region.
For one, she said, their hospital bed utilization rate has not yet reached to 85 to 100 utilization but is just around 36 percent, which is even considered as ‘low risk.’
She also added that their daily attack rate of COVID-19 is just 3.25 percent, which is even lower compared to Leyte’s 7.28 percent.
“We were surprised why Northern Samar was classified under Alert Level 4. That is why, the provincial inter-agency task force will ask for consideration to reclassify us to just Alert Level 3 just like the rest of the region,” Kam said in a radio interview.
She said that the data submitted to the regional DOH from their encoders could have resulted in the placing of Northern Samar under Alert Level 4.
