BAYBAY CITY, Leyte— Baybay City officials placed Barangay Pangasugan under a 48-hour lockdown that started 09:00PM of June 3, 2020 to 09:00PM of June 5, 2020 through Executive Order No. 68. This was executed right after a returnee entered Baybay City borders without undergoing proper health protocols.
Baybay City Mayor Jose Carlos L. Cari informed the public on Facebook live that a female returnee arrived in Brgy. Pangasugan on May 23, 2020. Cari has yet disclosed further information about the returnee’s travel history.
It was reported that the said returnee had prior arrangements with the barangay officials to undergo home quarantine but without proper coordination with the city government. It was also found out that she had direct contact with her family. The returnee is currently under isolation and contact tracing is now being done.
In a Facebook video posted by netizen, Byron C. Alcoba, the returnee claimed that she did not breach any health protocol because authorities did not prevent her entry towards the city.
“Kung ingana man gyud ka strict ang implementation, ngadto palang sa Gaas giharang nako. Gibasa nila ako documents, tanan. Di man pud ko makaingon nga wala ko ni follow. Gikuhaan ko og temperature, so let’s see.”
(If the implementation was that strict, they would have blocked me in Barangay Gaas. They checked my documents that is why I could not say that I did not follow [health protocols]. They even took my temperature.)
Watch video here: https://www.facebook.com/byron.alcoba/videos/pcb.10223673896093458/10223673862932629/?type=3&theater
On the other hand, Visayas State University (VSU) President Edgardo E. Tulin, on his official Facebook page, announced that VSU will close down its border’s entry and exit to and from Barangay Pangasugan from 09:00PM of June 3, 2020 to 09:00PM of June 5, 2020 to ensure the safety of the university’s constituents.
President Tulin also clarified that VSU was not particularly included in the lockdown order of the city but will impose restrictions on its premises.
“Viscans, please also know that VSU was not particularly included in the lockdown order of our City Mayor. We will rather close our border for both entry and exit to and from Barangay Pangasugan. All other skeleton employees residing outside Barangay Pangasugan shall be allowed to report to VSU tomorrow for our daily operations. The VSU Market shall remain open only that Barangay Pangasugan residents will not be allowed to access any premise within the VSU campus during the entire lockdown period.”
As of June 4, 2020, Baybay City has recorded two confirmed cases of COVID-19 patients. These new infections were reported after overseas Filipino workers or Balik Probinsya and hatid Probinsya benefeciaries started arriving in the province.