Domagoso orders all public market vendors to free COVID-19 tests
Amid the increasing number of Covid-19 infection in Manila, Mayor Francisco Domagoso required all the vendors in the public markets to avail the free Covid-19 testing provided by the city government.
"While you are under our jurisdiction which are the public market under the city you are required to undergo testing, you were able to have peace of mind without the need to spend your money," Domagoso said in a public announcement on Sunday afternoon.
The city mayor warned that the vendors who will refuse to undergo Covid-19 testing will not be allowed to continue their business inside the public market.
"Because you were given priviledge to have your business in our public market, now it become a policy today I directed our market Administrator I will cancel the privilege that was given to you by the City of Manila to sell inside the public markets if you failed to submit yourselves for testing," Domagoso said.
"It is my obligation to everyone to protect the consumers, I should give them peace of mind that the people in the public market are not infected," he added.
Domagoso also announced that effective March 15, 2021, only 30 percent of the work force will be reporting to city government offices except to personnel of the six government hospitals within the city and other selected department, bureaus and offices of the local government.
"I have directed that City hall employees our city hall offices to go back to 30 percent, except the personnel of 6 districts hospitals, MHD, DPS, MDSW, MTPB, MDRRMO and DEPW," he said.
Domagoso also warned that he may also shutdown the entire city if he sees the need to do so.
"If I see that you are being irresponsible, and if there is a need to shutdown Manila, I will do so, just to protect the safety of each and everyone of you," he said
"But for now I want all of you to be able to continue working, because the government cannot feed all you," he noted.
"I want all of us to be a responsible citizen, I need all of you to cooperate, I need your help...," the city mayor added.
Domagoso said as of Sunday, a total of 1,549 Covid-19 cases were recorded in the city, 270 of which are new cases with a total of 28,451 recoveries and 824 deaths.
He also mentioned that the occupancy rates of the six public hospital in Manila has already increase to 73 percent which he called as red flag or a cause of concern because of the increasing cases.
"The 41 percent occupancy rate in six hospitals in just two days it already reached to 73 percent occupancy rate as of March 14, this is already a red flag," he said.
Domagoso said the six hospitals has a total bed capacity of 540 and the beds that were already occupied reached to 393. Robina Asido/DMS
