Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya – National government agencies and local government units here have implemented their skeletal force inside their respective offices due to the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon as ordered by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
The order requires the implementation of home quarantine among government workers and ordinary villagers while the Civil Service Commission also issued Announcement No. 13 Series of 2020, limiting the work arrangement of government agencies to work from home except those required to provide frontline and necessary services and assistance.
In a recent meeting of the Nueva Vizcaya COVID-19 Tak Force, Governor Carlos Padilla ordered the department heads and division chiefs of the provincial government to implement their respective skeletal forces and work from home arrangements.
With the suspension of public transport, the governor also encouraged the provision of free transport vehicles for provincial government workers especially for hospital workers and those residing outside Bayombong town.
“Let us come up with our own work plan but as a general rule, our employees should stay in their homes,” he said.
Padilla also ordered the cancellation of inter-agency meetings, seminars and other government activities requiring travels and promoting social gatherings as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 threat.
Department heads and division chiefs of the provincial government were also encouraged to put-up a One–Stop scheme of services for Novo Vizcayanos in order to provide continuous PLGU services and activities.
“But with all of these to be put in place, let us always practice social distancing and other health protocols to ensure our safety from the COVID-19 infection,” the governor said.
Flordelina Granada, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer also assured that food packs are available for distribution to the needy, including their other social welfare assistance and services for the poor.
Dr. Edwin Galapon, Provincial Health Officer and NV COVID-19 head assured that Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) will be bought for health personnel especially those conducting checkpoints in strategic areas of the province.
Police Provincial Director Richard Saavedra also appealed to Novo Vizcayanos to comply with their ECQ checkpoints and protocols for the safety of Novo Vizcayanos.
“We will implement curfew from 8 pm to 5 am to ensure that villagers are inside their homes during this period. This will be strictly enforced and violators will be penalized for non-cooperation under Republic Act 11332,” he said.
The provincial government here also dispatched its service vehicles for the use of its workers in going to and leaving their respective offices to address the transport ban under the Enhanced Community Quarantine(ECQ) brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gov. Padilla made the order to maintain the services of the provincial government’s offices especially the Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Hospital in Bambang town.
He also encouraged other hospitals to make use of their transportation resources to help their workers inorder to provide frontline medical and health care to Novo Vizcayanos.
The provincial government maintains and operates the other medical centers such as the Diadi Emergency Hospital(DEH), Dupax District Hospital(DDH), Kasibu District Hospital(KDH) and the Kayapa District Hospital(KDH).
“This is needed right now as we are fighting an invisible enemy which can strike anytime. With this, we can maintain our hospital services for regular ailments and any eventualities that may arise,” he said in a recent Provincial COVID-19 Task Force.
Padilla also said other departments and divisions of the provincial government have initiated the same to ensure that government services are still accessible and available for the public.
“In the meantime that the ECQ is in place and effect, let us also do our share in complying with the health protocols being enforced by our checkpoint authorities so that we can overcome this threat,” he added.
The governor said they are constantly in coordination with health authorities and the Philippine National Police(PNP), among others in order to address any issues and concerns on the implementation and enforcement of the ECQ in the province.