By Patricia T. Bermudez October 2, 2020 TAYTAY, Rizal - Taytay’s garment industry is business as usual even under the Enhanced Community Qua...
October 2, 2020
TAYTAY, Rizal - Taytay’s garment industry is business as usual even under the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).
Known as a destination for affordable ready to wear clothes, the COVID-19 pandemic opened more opportunities for local businesses to introduce new products and more convenient shopping experiences to their loyal customers.
“Magmula nang ideklara ang Rizal sa GCQ ay inihanda na namin ang mga tiangge,” Mayor Joric Gacula II said.
[We have been preparing the tiangges since Rizal was placed under GCQ)
According to the local chief executive, 80% of PPEs and washable face masks in the market are produced in their municipality.
The municipal government also allowed a 40% operational capacity to tiangges to keep the RTW industry running.
“Sinukat natin ang two square meter per person capacity sa mga tiangge upang maging ligtas sa mga mamimili,” Gacula said, highlighting various health protocols being adopted in the shopping districts, such as social distancing and wearing for face shield and face mask.
[We measured the two-square meter per person capacity in the tiangges in order to protect the shoppers.]
Paperless contact tracing
Part of the local government’s health protocols is requiring commercial establishments, such as grocery stores and malls, to use contact less transactions and paperless contact tracing tools such as Traze, a mobile contact tracing tool designed to replace health disclosure forms.
“It takes around one minute para maibigay ang kanilang data upang sila ay mainform kung magkaroon ng COVID outbreak sa isang establishment,” Gacula said of the mobile application.
[Providing their data takes around one minute, which is helpful in case they need to be informed should there be a COVID outbreak in an establishment.]
The local chief executive assured that the information in the forms is used solely for the contact tracing efforts of the Municipal Health Office, as stipulated in the Data Privacy Act.
Infection control
The municipal government highly discourages home quarantine after the Inter-Agency Task Force found a significant drop in the number of new cases in Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Metro Manila after it was disallowed.
They also built a quarantine facility to properly isolate infected patients from the rest of the community during their 14-day quarantine.
Relatives of the infected patients were also accommodated in makeshift tents built by the local government and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“Kahit hindi positive, basta kasama sa bahay at hindi makakapag-practice ng social distancing ay [dadalhin] sa isolation facility,” the local chief executive said.
[Although they did not test positive, as long as social distancing is not possible inside the house, they will be brought to the isolation facility.]
The local government is also providing quarantined residents with basic necessities-such as food packs worth P5,000- and a P10,000 bonus for families who finished their 14-day quarantine.
The Department of Health (DOH) also provided 7,000 free swabbing kits which residents can bring to their preferred laboratories, reducing testing costs up to P2,000.
Aside from preventing the virus from spreading, the local government is also fighting against misinformation in social media by delivering timely and accurate updates on its online platforms.
“We use social media upang maihatid ang mahahalagang impormasyon ukol sa COVID pandemic at upang maibalita ang aming mga programa at ordinansa ukol sa pagpapatakbo ng aming bayan,” Gacula said.
[We use social media to deliver important information about the COVID pandemic and to raise awareness on the programs and ordinances being imposed in our town.]
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