Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte paid tribute Monday to the sacrifices and perseverance of the city’s frontliners and other workers amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“We’ve witnessed incredible heroism from our workers. They resolutely fulfilled their duties even in the face of mortal danger,” she said during her State-of-the-City Address, the 44th regular session of the city council.
She referred to their sacrifices she described as not in vain as they helped the city improve from no. 3 in the National Capital Region in terms of COVID-19 cases per capita to No. 15 out of 17 local governments in Metro Mania.
As of Oct. 10, the city’s recovery rate was at 85 percent while positivity rate was down to nine percent from almost 20 percent.
While fighting COVID-19, she said the city government also took the necessary steps to address the needs of its citizens amid the pandemic.
To arm itself with enough resources to fight the pandemic and to provide for the needs of its citizens, the city government passed five supplemental budgets and reprogrammed funding worth over P12 billion, she said.
The lion’s share of the fund was utilized to provide financial assistance to residents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The city earmarked around P700 million for the Kalingang QC sa Negosyo wage relief program for micro and small enterprises to ensure that jobs and livelihood were protected, while it entered into a partnership with Lalamove, Grab, Esetgo and Foodpanda to provide employment as food as logistic drivers and food delivery riders to around 1,135 jeepney and tricycle drivers.
Belmonte also said the city remained focused on implementing its winning strategy to conquer the virus — test, isolate, trace and treat.
“As of October 11, we have administered about 60,166 free PCR swab tests, more than any other local government unit,” she said.
She took pride in the city government’s two mobile testing units and inaugurated its own molecular laboratory to boost its testing capacity.
In closing, the city mayor assured her constituents that she would do everything in her power to give them leadership and a government they richly deserve.