BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The city and town halls of Victorias and Moises Padilla in Negros Occidental were placed on temporary lockdown yesterday for disinfection, after two employees tested positive for Covid-19.
Moises Padilla Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo confirmed that a department head was infected with the virus.
Before the positive result came out Thursday night, Yulo said the department head had not been reporting for duty.
Although she had no direct contact with the official, Yulo said she underwent swab testing yesterday.
It was not known yet on when the municipal hall will resume operations.
The Victorias City Hall and its annexed buildings and offices were also temporary closed yesterday for disinfection, after an employee, assigned at the City Mayor’s Office, tested positive, Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca said in an executive order dated April 15.
The closure will be for disinfecting the City Hall and its annexed buildings, and to conduct contact tracing and RT-PCR testing on government employees, who may have close contact with the infected employee, Palanca said.
WORK FROM HOME
He advised all city officials and employees to strictly stay at home and adopt a work-from-home arrangement.
Manapla Mayor Manuel Escalante also ordered yesterday a temporarily hold in the conduct of a face-to-face session of the Sangguniang Bayan, after a councilor tested positive for Covid-19.
Hinigaran Mayor Nadie Arceo also issued an EO suspending the operations of public and private businesses, including passenger tricycles every Sunday, to contain the spread of Covid-19, from April 18 to May 16 this year.
Employees of the EB Magalona municipality started yesterday the four-day work arrangement, as ordered by Mayor Marvin Malacon, to help contain the spread of Covid-19 with the disinfection of the town hall scheduled on Fridays.
RESORTS CLOSED
Meanwhile, all resorts in Sipalay City were closed effective yesterday until further notice, as part of the continuous fight against the deadly disease. Every Sunday, all establishments will be closed for disinfection, while accommodation establishments, including pension houses, located at the city proper, can operate at 30 percent of their capacity, to cater to APORs and those delivering essential goods, Mayor Gina Montilla-Lizares said in her EO.*
