AgSur town mayor bares ongoing efforts vs COVID-19
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY – The local government unit (LGU) of Talacogon, Agusan del
Sur led by Mayor Pauline Marie Masendo revealed initiatives and efforts of the
LGU and various stakeholders in the fight against the transmission of
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), during the Network Briefing News hosted by
Secretary Martin Andanar of the Presidential Communications Operations Office
(PCOO).
“Our BHERTs are functional. We also remind our barangay officials of
their functions, at the same time we remind our constituents that the Delta
variant is different and not all COVID tests detect the highly transmissible
Delta variant because it carries a distinctive biological matter,” added
Masendo, who is also a registered nurse by profession.
For those Returning Overseas Filipino Workers (ROFWs), Masendo appealed
for their understanding that a negative RT-PCR test result is not a guarantee
that they can safely go home in the municipality. "The respective LGUs of
destination are allowed to have local protocols so we enforce our protocol on
quarantine," she said.
When asked about the vaccination rollout in the municipality, the lady
mayor said that vaccination target is 28,410 and they are now at 17.44%
accomplishment of that figure. “We try to convince our Indigenous Peoples
Mandatory Representatives (IPMR) and tribal leaders for them to get immunized
first, and we are receiving positive feedback from them,” she said.
Meanwhile, Sec. Andanar encouraged Mayor Masendo to
bring their issues and concerns and request for assistance to Senator Bong Go,
as the latter has been reaching out to the provinces of Caraga region and
providing services and assistance particularly on the medical needs of the
people during this time of COVID-19 pandemic.
Mayor Masendo also shared that she is thankful to the support already
extended by Sen. Go in the municipality, as well as the recent launching of the
131st Malasakit Center at the D.O. Plaza Memorial Hospital, wherein he provided
financial assistance, groceries, vitamin supplements, face masks and face
shields, among others.
“Last Saturday, the 131st Malasakit Center was inaugurated here in Agusan del Sur and I personally thanked Senator Bong Go for his assistance, especially for COVID because last year he also gave P10 million and this year, we received P3 million in the first quarter which we used to buy equipment and create structures for our vaccination sites,” said Masendo. (JPG/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
