The provincial government-run Negros First Food Terminal market at the North Capitol Road in Bacolod City is now open to the public, after 19 of its employees and security guards were tested negative for Covid-19, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.
The food terminal market was placed on lockdown Nov. 23 after a job order casual employee of the provincial government of Negros Occidental, died from Covid-19 infection.
“After our risk assessment, it is safe to open the pala-pala,” Diaz said.
After results of 19 others turned out to be negative, Diaz described the virus infection of a job order casual employee as an “isolated case”.
He said many people are depending their livelihood on the food terminal market, locally known as “pala-pala”. This prompted Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson to order its re-opening yesterday, since it is already safe for marketgoers to enter the place.
The food terminal market was placed on lockdown but it was immediately disinfected.
Diaz said the provincial government of Negros Occidental is now coordinating with the family of the victim on what assistance they could offer to them.*GPB
