More schools eyed as Covid facilities

CALABANGA, Camarines Sur---The Core Group Covid-19 here has prepared the Manuel Y. Garza Elementary School in Barangay Paolbo as a new quarantine facility, while the City Engineer’s Office (CEO) of Naga is waiting for the go signal to open the almost completed Sta. Cruz National High School as an additional quarantine facility.

Calabanga Mayor Eduardo Severo, in an interview, said the local government unit (LGU) recently inspected the school in Paolbo for its readiness to accomodate Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs).

Severo said the school will be used in case the number of LSIs have exceeded the limited capacity of the existing isolation facilities in barangays.

At present, the Calabanga Community College (CCC) in Barangay Belen here serves as an isolation facility for 32 persons who have close contact with Bicol # 293, the first Covid-19 patient in the town.

Bicol # 293 is Marites P. Arganda, a pharmacy worker of Barangay Balombon here. She consented to be named to fast track the contact tracing process. So far, three persons, including her child, already tested positive among her close contacts. Other individuals who have contacts with her have already been tested and are awaiting their test results.

Meanwhile, Lt. Col. James Ronatay, Calabanga police chief, said that aside from the Calabanga Infirmary, the LGU is also utilizing other schools and barangay buildings as quarantine facilities in Belen, La Purisima, and San Roque.

He said police personnel guard and monitor these facilities by implementing strict health protocols.

Severo has agreed with the suggestion of Ronatay to give Arganda a plaque of recognition for publicly revealing her identity as a Covid-19 patient.

“She did not hesitate to identify herself to the public so the contact tracing will be easier” Ronatay said. In Naga City, CEO chief, Engr. Alexander Caning, said that the construction of Sta. Cruz National High School in Brgy. Sta Cruz is almost 100 percent complete.

He said the new two-storey school building has eight classrooms, which will be converted into an additional quarantine facility.

Caning said he is waiting for the go signal of Mayor Nelson Legacion to use the new building, which can accommodate 48 persons.