ONE million cases of the dreaded Covid-19 disease have been tallied in the Philippines as of this week, based on the latest statistics from the Department of Health (DOH). This horrific milestone was recorded amid the surge in infections concentrated mostly in the National Capital Region and its four neighboring provinces, collectively called the “NCR Plus” bubble.
As the country reels from the economic impact of the pandemic, academicians from the Octa Research Group urged the national government to maintain the modified enhanced community quarantine in NCR Plus. They advised the authorities not to exit MECQ, the second strictest lockdown protocol, until the reproduction number of less than 0.9 has been sustained for several weeks.
Octa Research has been called out for making alarmist projections, pushing for stricter quarantine measures and fudging the numbers. For example, it reported that Covid-19 cases in Barangay Fort Bonifacio reached 342 between March 18 to 24, 2021. This was refuted by Taguig’s City Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit (CEDSU), which analyzed the same data from DOH.
According to the CEDSU, Octa’s figures includes positive cases that have already recovered; cases that turned out to be negative; presumptive positive cases; equivocal cases; inconclusive cases; and, those awaiting test results.
“If these cases are excluded–as they should be—Fort Bonifacio will only have 116 Covid-19 cases during the same period. At 42 cases per 100,000 population, the barangay is well below the national count of 83 active cases per 100,000 population and NCR’s ratio of 158 active cases per 100,000 population,” Taguig’s research team and CEDSU clarified in a joint statement.
It may be recalled that the country’s vaccine czar has lauded Taguig as a model city in terms of effective pandemic response. Secretary Carlito G. Galvez Jr. pointed out that Taguig was among the first cities in Metro Manila to launch a drive-thru Covid-19 testing facility and has one of the lowest active cases with a ratio of less than 20 for every 100,000 residents.
“This is a testament to the outstanding leadership shown by Mayor Lino [Edgardo S.] Cayetano and the proactive strategy of his local government unit to contain and mitigate the spread of the virus,” Galvez said. He cited the Taguig LGU’s acquisition of its own cold storage facility, establishment of a point-to-point logistics transport system and construction of four mega vaccination centers as well as 40 community centers in a bid to inoculate all its residents for free. The city’s population is estimated to reach 1,055,000 by end-2021.
Cayetano also received the “Covid-19 Response Service Award” from the DOH for his exceptional commitment to the implementation of contagion response strategies and for ensuring quality health services in the community. He comes from a family of public servants who have consistently been elected by the Taguigueños since the 1980s—starting with his father, the late Senator Renato L. Cayetano.
In both good and bad times, the Cayetanos have proven themselves to be dedicated officials in the local and national fronts. No economic crisis or epidemic has stopped them from leading their hometown to success. At this time of Covid-19, Taguig’s glowing numbers are showing exactly what caliber of leadership they are capable of.
Today, Barangay Fort Bonifacio in Taguig is considered the country’s new financial district, with its centerpiece Bonifacio Global City as the 21st century version of Makati and BGC’s 5th Avenue as the Filipino equivalent of New York’s Wall Street. There you can find the headquarters of the Philippine Stock Exchange and other leading business institutions.
Beyond the high-rise towers and retail malls of Fort Bonifacio, the 27 other barangays are populated by Taguigueños who take pride in living within a—probinsyudad” or city with a provincial touch. Indeed, Taguig has risen to become a world-class model for other cities to emulate—especially when it comes to addressing the Covid-19 pandemic.
Joseph Gamboa is the co-chairman of the Finex Annual Conferences for 2020-2021, chairman of the Finex Business Columns Subcommittee and director of Noble Asia Industrial Corp. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinion of these institutions and the BusinessMirror.
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