Feliciano: Bacolod EOC now in place, effective

BACOLOD CITY, Oct. 21 (PIA) –- The recent drop in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Bacolod City compared to the last two weeks in September is an indication that the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in the city is now in place and has been effective in the implementation of the different intervention programs and the setting up of systems and processes.

This is according to Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) - Visayas chief implementer MGen. (Ret) Mel Feliciano, who oversees the EOC operations in the city for close to two months already.

Feliciano, during a press briefing, added that during the 3rd to 4th week of September, Bacolod was averaging 50 cases per day, but on the 1st and 2nd week of October, at the average, Bacolod was having 25 cases per day, while the mortality has also lowered. 

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) - Visayas chief implementer MGen. (Ret) Mel Feliciano during the press briefing at the Emergency Operations Center at the Bacolod Government Center. *(EAD-PIA6 photo)

“I am confident that in the coming days these statistics can still be lowered and this can be translated to more active and open economy in Bacolod City.  Personally, I am looking forward to that at the end of the month, where Bacolod City is in a more stable situation and the set up and processes of the EOC will be able to hold on when Bacolod opens economy,” he said, crediting the success of the EOC to the committed, motivated and hard-working cluster heads of the EOC and other staff members with the leadership of the EOC Task Force (EOC-TF) head and Bacolod City mayor Evelio Leonardia.

Feliciano also underscored the role of barangay captains, who according to him, are considered vital leaders in fighting COVID-19.

A total of 19 barangays have been COVID-free for the past 14 days, the Bacolod City Emergency Operations Center Task Force (EOC-TF) reported Monday, Oct. 19.

These barangays are 4, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 31, 33, 36, 38, and Punta Taytay, EOC-TF data showed.

“These barangays should maintain their status and the other barangays should also try to catch up with these COVID-free barangays,” Leonardia, who heads the EOC-TF, said.

According to Leonardia, the "COVID-free" status of 19 out of 61 Bacolod barangays is something to celebrate considering the efforts of the city government in containing the pandemic for several months now. *(LTP/EAD-PIA Negros Occidental)

Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)