City Government of Cagayan de Oro

Friday, 22 May 2020 03:10

COVID-19 Reflection: How long does the virus stay on plastics?

(Note: This is an opinion piece by John David O Moncada, a Graduate School student from the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines.)

Right after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has released more than a month ago the Memorandum 2020-017 which included, among others, a condition on installing impermeable barriers between rows of seats, the owner of the jeepney that Jose Marie Palomar, 32, bought a clear plastic sheet for that purpose.

“Gipabutangan mi og plastic ingun ani para ma-maintain ang kanang social distancing tapos para dili pod magdikit-dikit ang mga tawo. Unya kanang, for example, simbako lang naay makasakay nga nay mga simtomas sa COVID, for example, mag-ubo-ubo sila dili mo kuan dayon… mupilit ra sa cellophane ang kuan … malayo ra pod ang tawo,” explains Jose, who has been a driver for three years now.

One of the things that I find interesting to know is the longevity of the virus on surfaces. The virus can be caught by somebody who touches a surface or an object that has the virus on it and then touch his or her face. How long the virus stays depends on the material of the surface. Others say it also depends on the temperature and on humidity. But what if the surface is made of clear plastic like what Jose and other jeepney drivers use to partition the seats for passengers?

Most of the resources online say that the virus can live from two to three days on surfaces made of plastic. The Journal of Medicine supports this. Some say, like The Lancet, that it can live on it for a week. Other examples of plastic-made items are milk containers, detergent bottles, elevator buttons, light switches, credit cards, food packaging, ATM buttons, among others. But according to The Economic Times that on this kind of surface “the amount of viable virus decreases sharply over this time.”

The virus can also stay for three days on surfaces made up of stainless steel like refrigerators, pots and pans, sinks, some water bottles, among others.

The kind of material where the virus stays the longest, according to many sources, is on metals, ceramics, and drinking glasses and windows. It can live on these materials for up to five days. The shortest, however, is on paper like newspapers or mail where it stays on for a few minutes only. But another source says that it can actually live on paper for up to five days.

The zone of uncertainty caused by COVID-19 is wide. Being a novel virus, there is still a lot to learn about the virus that causes COVID-19. The information from different studies about its length of stay on surfaces just like plastic sheets is conflicting. Some say it can live on it for three days, and others up to a week.

Dr. Bharat Pankhania, a clinical lecturer at the University of Exeter, has reminded us, “Your mindset needs to be that everything, everyone, everywhere is contaminated. And whatever you handle is a potential risk.”

That is why another condition of the memorandum states that parts of the vehicle that are often touched have to be disinfected at least once every three hours if the vehicle is in continuous operation and at every end of each trip as well.

“Trapuhan g’yud ni siya,” Jose looked at his jeepney, “ug alcohol-an. Sabunan og Joy, pag-uga na niya, ayha ra nako sprayhan og alcohol para ma-disinfect. Kay tibuok adlaw biya ka gabiyahe unya wala ka kabalo … simbako naay pasahero nga nakasakay,” he warned.

There are a little over a hundred public jeepneys operating in Bugo, Jose estimated, and he believes that most drivers have followed the conditions of the memorandum. Noticeably, Jose’s partition has red cloth sewn on the edge of the plastic, done by his mother, so that it will not be flimsy once his jeepney is on the road.

Other than bringing an exit pass and wearing a face mask, the passengers’ part is to make handwashing a habit — to do it thoroughly, with warm water and soap, and to do it as often as they can.

Published in News and Article

Thursday, 21 May 2020 09:04

COVID-19 Response: The ‘Youth Da’wah for Peace’ story

Youth Da’wah for Peace (YDP) is a community youth volunteer-based organization providing an alternative solution to ignorance, poverty, and conflict. YDP affiliated members are youth-serving individuals and young professionals utilizing their time, efforts, skills, and financial resources, in service of the community.

Youth Da’wah for Peace has been working on different programs and activities with different concepts, depending on the situations. By the time Cagayan de Oro had its first case on COVID 19, the organization organized donation drives in order to provide some materials needed for the public hospitals, namely JR Borja General Hospital (JRB) and Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC).

The initiative successfully procured disinfectants, rubber gloves, tissues and cotton balls, hand sanitizers, and face masks, among others. The organization also extended its generosity to the frontliners (mostly security guards and barangay tanods) by giving them water, packs of coffee, and cupcakes.

This time of Ramadan, the organization also initiated charity work for Muslims in the city who are very much affected by the community quarantine. An iftar meal (the meal they eat to break our fast) was served in chosen areas. This led to serving 750 meals for the whole month of Ramadan, this is sponsored by another organization and some anonymous sponsors.

Relief packs were also distributed to the families who are in dire need. As of now, the organization is currently preparing for an outreach program for the week until the second day of the Eid’l Fitr celebration.

Despite the current situation, the organization still aims to share some sweets for the kids in the Muslim communities for them to feel the essence of sharing during these trying times. Thus, food shall also be distributed to each family for the celebration of Eid’l Fitr.

In Islam, there are only two important celebrations: Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha. With these, the organization hopes to provide something for the families who are needy to have something on their table in spite of the fact that life is really tough right now.

There may be different ways of helping in this fight against the pandemic COVID19. During this health crisis, the organization is geared towards the same goals which are to minimize the spread of the disease, to help those who are having a hard time, and to serve the community.

This crisis should not just become a pandemic or a situation to remember but should also serve as a reminder to everyone to be healthy and take care of health, the environment, families and above all, the connection with God.

(The Youth Da’wah for Peace is one of the member-organizations of the Oro Youth Development Council.)

Published in News and Article

Thursday, 21 May 2020 06:21

COVID-19 Reflection: The Pandemic and the Democratization of Media

(Note: This is an opinion piece by Egypt F. del Rosario, a Graduate School student from the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines.)

The Internet has become so powerful that it gives anyone the capacity to spread all sorts of information. This gives the possibility of encountering any information in cyberspace that could cloak to be factual but actually intends to manipulate whoever will fall to its trap. Internet users need to see the importance of responsible consumption of online content, especially in the midst of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. When information is crucial, media and information literacy (MIL) needs to be strengthened among the youth and to those who are new to the “language” of the Internet.

Sometime in 1938 – when the Internet was not yet invented and people only had the traditional mass communication channels a.k.a the TV, the radio, and print – a mass hysteria happened in the USA caused by a pre-Halloween radio play.

A moment before its airing on CBS, a voice announced to the listeners, “The Columbia Broadcasting System and its affiliated stations present Orson Welles and the Mercury Theater on the air in ‘War of the Worlds’ by H.G. Wells.” The introduction was then followed by a weather report and a music gap that seemed to have misled the audience from the supposed radio play because of its true-to-life portrayal – until a breaking “news” interrupted the broadcast. An announcer reported that explosions had been detected on planet Mars. Things got weirder when the music gap was again played after the report that got interrupted once again. This time, the reporter told the listeners that a large meteor had crashed into a farmer’s field in New Jersey. At the site, the reporter said that a metallic cylinder was seen where a group of Martians was emerging – detailing the horrifying appearance of the extra-terrestrial creatures. The reporter added that the aliens were attacking people which claimed the lives of 7,000 National Guardsmen by releasing poisonous gas into the air.

In effect, some of the listeners panicked, especially those who had tuned in late and missed the introduction. Reports claimed that there were some who sought medical treatment for the shock it had caused and accordingly thousands were desperate to flee and escape from the supposed “alien invasion.” Nevertheless, Britannica.com says that the public reception was just “greatly exaggerated by the press.”

Eighty-two years later, although no radio adaptations of the “War of the Worlds” anymore, several distastefully-designed media contents are targeted toward susceptible media consumers through the Internet amid a global health crisis.

When several photos and videos surfaced the social media claiming that bananas are the cure for COVID-19, some people who saw and reposted it did a panic-buying of bananas at the market. Several Kagay-anon Facebook friends joined the hype and said, “Wala’y mawala sa mutuo.”

The World Health Organization has debunked the viral post and clarified that there remains no medicine to prevent or treat COVID-19. Apparently, the people who had believed in the post lost nothing – except for time and energy that should’ve been focused on facts.

Unlike in the golden era of radio when people only had a limited source of information, the present generation enjoys the availability of information anytime and anywhere through the Internet. But how come many are still deceived by online hoax reports?

Another post went viral on Facebook suggesting that when a local brand of rum is mixed with bleach, it could allegedly be an alternative for hand sanitizers. Many netizens went instant chemists by documenting themselves how this “life hack” happens. True enough, the hype was indeed a “life hack” when the distilling company released its statement saying that mixing these chemicals could cause serious harm to the lives of the public.

The cyberspace has enabled the democratization of media, giving power to anyone to propagate information. Yes, the same power that only the traditional media had controlled before. Unfortunately, not everyone has the intention to use this power responsibly. Many weaponize this power to spread lies and malign the public.

The classic “War of the Worlds” example is actually not a case of the media being the propagator of lies. The producers did not intend to cause panic, instead, they just wanted to deliver a horror-themed radio play just in time for Halloween. However, what made it a disaster was when they didn’t foresee the effects it would bring to their audience.

In the age of information, when anyone can create their own “War of the Worlds” script and intentionally mislead people, there is only one solution to prevent a potential scenario of a “global hysteria.” It’s time to take media and information literacy seriously. As they say, “wala ma’y mawala,” that, except for ignorance.

SOURCES

Orson Welles’s “War of the Worlds” radio play is broadcast https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/welles-scares-nation

‘War od the Worlds’: Behind the 1938 Radio Show Panic https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2005/06/war-of-the-worlds-behind-the-panic/

FALSE: Video saying bananas 'prevent coronavirus’ https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/254883-video-bananas-prevent-coronavirus

The War of the Worlds panic was a myth https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/what-to-listen-to/the-war-of-the-worlds-panic-was-a-myth/amp/

The War of the Worlds: NOVEL BY WELLS https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-War-of-the-Worlds-novel-by-W

Liquor maker warns against rhum-bleach mix to fight virus https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1249999/liquor-maker-warns-against-rhum-bleach-mix-to-fight-virus

Published in News and Article

Monday, 18 May 2020 06:53

CDO capable of processing over 400 COVID-19 tests starting June 2020

The Department of Health - Region 10 said that the COVID-19 testing centers in Cagayan de Oro City will be able to process 400-500 tests daily beginning June 2020.

Medical personnel from Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC), DOH Regional Office, and Polymedic Medical Plaza will undergo training this week on the processing of swab samples of suspected COVID-19 cases, to be conducted by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Out of the 22 medical staff members, 10 will come from the DOH Tuberculosis Reference Center, six from the NMMC, and six from the Polymedic Medical Plaza. Later on, the medical technologists of the JR Borja Memorial City Hospital and the City Health Office will join the training so they can also conduct other forms of RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription - Polymerase Chain Reaction) machine testing.

“We are handling live virus so we need to ensure the safety of both the medical personnel processing the samples and the hospital itself,” said Dr. Ian Gonzales, chief of the DOH-10 Infectious Diseases Cluster during the May 16 press briefing.

NMMC spokesman Dr. Bernard Rocha confirmed that their recalibrated Xpert Xpress machine can process 36 to 48 tests daily and they expect the cartridges to arrive for the one-day test run followed by the actual processing of swab samples this week.

The testing facilities in the city are set to fully operate once the bio-safety renovations are finished. Bio-Safety Level II is required under the WHO standards.

City Mayor Oscar Moreno shared earlier that two RT-PCR machines will be installed at the DOH-10 TB lab and the third RT-PCR machine will be lent to the NMMC. Meanwhile, Polymedic Medical Plaza will acquire its own RT-PCR machine.

“You simply cannot transfer these machines like cabinets back to the city,” Moreno said. “The laboratories that house these machines are built based on WHO standards [as] they are dealing with a live virus.”

Published in News and Article

Thursday, 14 May 2020 07:53

Kagay-anon youth helps elderly garbage collector enlist for Social Amelioration Program

Jam Colloso (left) and Doroteo Bantigue (right)

A Kagay-anon youth assisted an elderly garbage collector in Barangay Carmen to get enlisted for the government’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP).

“Katong time nga pauli nako, nakita nako siya nagpahulay sa daplin, murag nangurog pod siya kay gigutom,” narrated 20-year-old Jam Golloso. “Akong gihatag akong gipangayo nga groceries gikan sa akong kuya.”

(When I was going home, I saw him resting on the pavement, looking like he was quivering from hunger. I gave him some groceries I got from my brother.)

Jam met Doroteo Bantigue, a 73-year-old garbage collector, while he was roaming around the premises of the barangay amid the COVID-19 pandemic, especially during the time when there was already a positive case in the area.

She found out that Lolo Doroteo got into an accident years before, leaving him with bone fractures.

During this crisis, he was left with no choice but to continue scavenging for garbage just to survive every day. Doroteo was also not included in the government’s cash assistance program.

Jam later posted their encounter on Facebook, hoping for someone to connect Doroteo with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Jam’s post got viral on Facebook and a few days after, Lolo Doroteo was connected to the local social welfare authorities.

Besides receiving cash aid from SAP, Lolo Doroteo also got groceries from generous donors.

Doroteo Bantigue, a 73-year-old garbage collector.

Published in News and Article

Wednesday, 13 May 2020 05:39

CDO #CoopHEROtives: Sparking courage, forging solidarity

Cagayan de Oro has been the cradle of the co-operative movement in Mindanao. Several of country’s pioneering co-operative institutions have been founded and are currently based in the city. Throughout the years, they have played a crucial role in the city’s economic growth; promoting financial inclusivity to those who are marginalized and un-bankable.

As COVID-19 pandemic continues to test the Kagay-anon’s resilience, the co-operative movement also continues to be one of CdeO’s partner in forging solidarity among Kagay-anons during these difficult times.

In compliance with Republic Act 11469 or the “Bayanihan to Heal As One Act,” CdeO co-ops implemented the minimum thirty (30)-day grace period for the payment of all loans of their members falling due within the period of the General Community Quarantine, without incurring interest on interest, penalties, fees, or other charges. They also carry on with their operations, while implementing precautionary measures like social distancing, so they can still provide the products and services to their members.

Cash assistance, and food have also been distributed to their members helping them to cope with the implications of the ongoing community quarantine status. The workforce of co-operatives was not forgotten in this time of crisis. Most co-op staff continued to receive their regular pay despite the shortened work-day and work-from-home arrangements.

Apart from making financial services available to members, the co-operatives mobilized their resources to extend support to various communities in Cde.

Kagay-anon co-operatives are part of the global humanitarian effort to ease the burden on people, especially those who are most vulnerable. Although co-operatives are among those affected by the coronavirus pandemic, they continue to serve their members and respective communities at this time of great need.

Here are some of the initiatives done by the CdeO Co-ops to provide support to their members and communities:

Published in News and Article

Tuesday, 12 May 2020 07:25

COVID-19 Reflection: How about the Lumad?

Indigenous people stay at their temporary shelter at UP Diliman amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo courtesy of Save Our Schools Network.

(DISCLAIMER: This is an opinion piece by Egypt F. del Rosario, a Graduate School student from the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines.)

Representation and access to basic needs and services—these are the common struggles of the minorities, especially the Lumads or the Indigenous People in the Philippines. Their plight against the militarization of their groups and the lack of government support are some of the reasons that hinder the progress in their respective communities. Reducing inequalities, such as the situation of the Lumads, is among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations. But how are they doing now that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is sweeping through the country?

Armed conflicts in Mindanao have displaced a group of Lumad students and teachers in Metro Manila last 2017. Until now, they are seeking shelter at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City, yet fearing again of another threat to their lives. One of the teachers, Beverly Godofredo, reveals that they worry about their daily survival especially during this time. “We are prone to coronavirus because we are evacuees,” Godofredo said in an interview with news.mongabay.com. “If you think about it, if there’s no militarization in our communities and if the schools are not closed, we wouldn’t be here.”

The situation of the displaced Lumads calls for attention from the local government units to include them on the current relief efforts. However, they are often overlooked by the host LGUs.

Meanwhile, in the actual Lumad communities in Northern Mindanao, traditional rituals are done to ask the protection of their Creators from the present health crisis. The Higaonon Catanico-Tablon-Cugman-Ancestral Domain (CATATCU AD) in Cagayan de Oro City conducted the Panagpeng ritual on March 22 where chicken blood was shed on a white cloth and showed an image that appeared to be a woman. “Our Baylan believes it could be the picture of the woman who could have been the first victim of this virus,” Datu Masikal Jude C. Jabiniar, Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) in Barangay Cugman, told the Mindanao Daily News.

While the Lumads do what their culture believes to be necessary to avoid contracting the virus, the government, nevertheless, should not leave them behind especially in availing free health services and inclusion to the amelioration program. Although they have been classified as part of the beneficiaries, some members of their community might have not been included due to a lack of proof of identification. The Commission of Human Rights’ spokesperson, Atty. Jacqueline Ann de Guia, had already stressed before that “the lack of ID cards should not put our ethnic minorities at a major disadvantage.”

Good thing, other organizations that gave attention to the needs of the Lumads. The Philippine Coconut Authority in Caraga Region has allocated Php 5,148,960 to support the IP farmers by incentivizing the growing of seed nuts. In this city, PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College, a private academic institution, donated grocery items and hygiene kits to the Higaonon community in Barangay Dansolihon, in coordination with the Philippine National Police. “As people of Cagayan de Oro City, we should be mindful of our indigenous brothers and sisters as they are also affected by this pandemic. They only have limited access to commodities, not like us residing in accessible barangays,” said Darling May Barcatan, one of the volunteers.

The Lumads’ call for equality echoes louder amidst the crisis. Hence it is just necessary to tap on our public and private institutions to extend our hands to them, whether those who are displaced or those in far-flung communities.

The Baylan (right) of the Higaonon community talks with one of the volunteers, Darling May Barcatan (left), during the relief operations of PHINMA COC in Barangay Dansolihon. Photo courtesy of PHINMA COC CSDL Page.

SOURCES

For Philippines’ displaced indigenous students, COVID-19 is one of many threats https://news.mongabay.com/2020/04/for-philippines-displaced-indigenous-students-covid-19-is-one-of-many-threats/

IP rituals can only do so much against COVID-19. Gov’t will have to step in https://nolisoli.ph/77589/government-aid-ips-vulnerable-covid-19-rituals-csanjose-20200406/

IP rituals invoke protection vs. COVID-19 https://www.mindanaodailynews.com/news/lifestyle/all/ip-rituals-invoke-protection-vs-covid-19

CHR urges gov’t to attend to health needs of minority groups as protection vs COVID-19 https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/03/28/chr-urges-govt-to-attend-to-health-needs-of-minority-groups-as-protection-vs-covid-19/

Published in News and Article

Tuesday, 12 May 2020 01:36

Brgy Canitoan creates mobile kitchen for residents

Photos by Jozey Monsanto Gipulao

The Barangay Council of Canitoan, Sangguniang Kabataan, staff, and youth volunteers came together to help satiate the hunger of their residents in a simple way.

A bowl of special arroz caldo was distributed twice a week from March 26 to April 16 until the relief goods from the government were given.

Making sure that they observed social distancing, they went house-to-house in their community to avoid any mass gathering.

The Barangay Canitoan Mobile Kitchen even reached the Filipino-Chinese community and the Mahogany Village in Zone 10.

The organizers considered this project a way of showing compassion to their residents during this time of pandemic.

Jozey Monsanto Gipulao, one of the organizers, wrote on a Facebook post: “Food is the language of family love. Our community is also our family.”

Published in News and Article

Monday, 11 May 2020 07:57

COVID-19 Reflection: Solidarity among Kagay-anons

(DISCLAIMER: This is an opinion piece by Egypt F. del Rosario, a Graduate School student from the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines.)

It is in times like this that our values as human beings, our “humanness,” is tested. When everything goes uncertain, it is human to only care for ourselves. From that sense, we could say that selfishness is human nature, but so is caring for others. When human compassion is low, solidarity is much more needed. The stories of coming together during this pandemic fuel our hope that even in the bleakest part of our lives, there are people who choose to shed light on others.

When the news broke out about a man in Barangay Canitoan who took his own life last April 2020 due to extreme poverty aggravated by the effects of this pandemic, several Kagay-anons extended their financial support to the bereaved family. But what makes the solidarity more heart-touching is when a simple trisikad driver, a common person who also needs help in this crisis, chipped in his Php200 from his meager daily income. The good Samaritan was Hamlin Hipolito, 55, resident of Barangay Gusa.

“Gibati nako ang kaluoy, sir, sa pamilya nga namatyan busa ako mianhi sa inyong radio station para i-donate ang akong kinitaan nga 200-pesos,” Hipolito told radio news anchor Manny Agustero in his program in Magnum Radio. “Tutal naa pamay bugas nga akong nadawat sa mga hinabang.”

The unselfishness of Hipolito has not only earned him praise from his fellow Kagay-anons but it also gave him monetary rewards. On top of that, businessman Joshua Calderon bought Hipolito a Php 13,000-worth trisikad as his way to honor the poor man’s generosity.

The story of Hipolito proves that no amount of money could quantify any form of help, as long as it comes from the heart.

In Barangay Carmen, meanwhile, a project was made in a combination of heart, mind, and hands.

Called as the “Hugkam Project,” the initiative aimed to campaign for handwashing in public spaces to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The team is composed of the Central Student Government (CSG), alumni, and faculty members of the College of Engineering and Architecture (CEA) of PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College (PHINMA COC). Two handwashing stations have been donated and installed at the entrance of the Carmen public market.

“Proper handwashing is one of the recommendations of the health authorities to avoid the virus as scientists continue to research for its vaccine,” said CSG President/Marketing Management student Willa Veronica Louisse Sulatan. “Through this project, we hope that we can contribute to flattening the curve in our locality.”

These are only some of the many stories of solidarity in the City of Cagayan de Oro in the midst of the pandemic. While it is now necessary for us to maintain a farther than the normal proximity of interacting with each other, this doesn’t mean that the proxemics of our human bond shall be broken. -30-

SOURCE

Good samaritan rewards 'trike' driver who donated his P200 daily income https://www.mindanaodailynews.com/news/front-page/todays-top-stories/good-samaritan-rewards-trike-driver-who-donated-his-p200-daily-income

Published in News and Article

Friday, 08 May 2020 06:53

Moreno order re-structures ‘LGU Task Force Against COVID-19,’ sets 4-Step General Protocols

Cagayan de Oro City Oscar S. Moreno has issued Executive Order 71 (EO71), amending EO67 in compliance with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular 2020-077, otherwise known as “Rationalizing the Establishment of a Local Government Unit Task Force Against COVID-19.”

Moreno released EO71 following the DILG circular (dated 24 April 2020) which mandates local governments “to fully establish and activate their respective Local Task Force Against COVID-19 and align their actions with the national strategy framework.”

Under EO71, the Local Task Force Against COVID-19 is composed of Moreno as the Chairperson, Acting City Health Officer Dr. Lorraine Jungco-Nery as the Co-Chairperson, and 16 members from various committees and sectors in the city.

The said task force aims to carry out three main duties, namely, (a) Take the lead in all COVID-19 concerns in the local government unit; (b) Ensure that the concerned city government office as well as the barangays perform their respective roles in the collective effort to limit the spread the virus; and (c) Submit regular reports to the DILG Regional Office 10.

Four teams are set to execute and achieve the main duties of the local task force: Contact Tracing Team (CTT) headed by Dr Teodulfo Joselito A. Retuya Jr., Assistant City Health Officer; Diagnostic and Testing Team (DTT) led by Charisa Galacio, Assistant Medical Technologist of the City Health Office; Patient Management and Monitoring Team (PMMT) headed by Dr. Maria Magdalena Juan; and Logistics and Resources Support Team (LRST) led by Dr William D. Bernardo.

Three units have also been created under the PMMT: Isolation Facility Management Unit (IFMU) headed by Ryselle Bernadette M. Descallar; COVID Referral and Liaison Unit (CRLU) led by Dr Teodoro Yu; and Reintegration and Psychosocial Counseling Unit (RPCU) headed by Jaymee Leonen.

EO71 has also set the 4-Step General Protocols to be adopted by the Local Task Force Against COVID-19:

Step 1: Contact Tracing. Task force agents, after receiving a report of a confirmed, suspected, or probable case, shall identify and verify the probable contacts, such as (a) the household members; (b) intimate partners; (c) individuals providing care for the households; and (d) individuals who have close contact (closer than six feet for the prolonged period of 20-30 minutes).
Step 2: Isolation. If the probable and suspected cases or contacts start to show symptoms akin to COVID-19, the task force shall refer the case to the appropriate hospital. Individuals with mild symptoms are referred to Level 2 Hospitals, while those manifesting severe symptoms are transferred to Level 3 or Level 4 Hospitals.
Step 3: Testing. Infected individuals exhibiting mild symptoms and even those asymptomatic must be admitted. Provinces and highly-urbanized cities, like CDO, are mandated to put up 1,000 bed capacity isolation facilities to cater to possible surge of cases.
Step 4: Reintegration or Referral. After the results of a credible test, the LGU must facilitate the reintegration of the person to the community if the result is negative or refer the case to the appropriate facility if the result is positive. The LGU shall also provide the person with psychosocial support.

Positive cases shall then undergo again all the steps in the general protocols.

This executive order takes effect immediately as Cagayan de Oro City continues to be placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ).