Philippine Coast Guard Seaborne Patrol in Davao City Coastal Areas

On Saturday, April 11, 2020, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) conducted their regular seaborne patrol from Panacan to Toril aboard MRRV-4408 Cape San Agustin. The sea patrol was done to ensure that the guidelines of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) were being followed. The PCG has been conducting daily seaborne patrols even before the 2019 novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) hit Davao Region.

Captain Edgar Ybañez, Commander Garry Laynesa, and their crew went about their duties, monitoring the coastal areas of Davao City. Under ECQ, fishing boats are prohibited from ferrying passengers and residents aren’t allowed to go swimming in the water. The PCG made sure no one was violating any of the ECQ guidelines in addition to the regulations already in effect.

Councilor Mabel Acosta serves as the chair and representative of Mayor Sara Duterte in the Davao City Maritime Coordinating Council (DCMCC). During the patrol, Team Acosta witnessed how diligent and disciplined the Coast Guard operate despite regularly conducting these patrols 24/7. The PCG and the other peace keeping forces have been serving as front-liners during this health crisis, along with health care professionals and service industry workers. They have been risking their lives to protect us and to contain the virus. We owe it to them, to our loved ones, and to ourselves to follow the law, especially the ECQ guidelines.

The Importance of Prioritizing our Front-liners

Last Wednesday, April 8, face shields were turned over to Barangay 2-A, 7-A, 9-A, and 24-C. The materials for the face shields were donated by JCI Davao Region and DCCCII. Last week, face shields were turned over to the various Barangay under Talomo District Cluster A, namely: 76-A Bucana, Matina Aplaya, 74-A Matina Crossing, Matina Pangi, Ma-a, Magtuod, and Langub. Additional face shields were also delivered to Brgy. Talomo Proper, Brgy. 39-D, Brgy. 37-D, Brgy. 21-C, and Brgy. 15-B. The materials for the face shields were donated by Bayani Hand of Davao and JCI Davaoeña Daba-Daba. The office of Councilor Mabel Sunga Acosta assembled the face shields and distributed them to the different Barangay— all while still abiding by the Community Quarantine guidelines by observing social distancing. Beyond Blessed Family Church donated twenty pieces of face shields as well.

These face shields are intended for the Barangay officials and staff on the front lines in the effort to stop the spread of the 2019 Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the city. As of this writing, Davao City has seventy (70) cases of Covid-19 according to the Department of Health Davao Regional Office (DOH XI).

The city has been placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) since April 04, 2020. With the implementation of the ECQ, all residents of Davao City cannot leave their homes without a food and medicine pass (FM pass) unless there is an emergency. Barangay Purok Leaders were tasked with distributing the FM passes to each household under their jurisdiction.

Our front-liners are responsible for preventing the virus from spreading even further and for taking care of those already infected. All front-liners are at highest risk of contracting the virus. They risk contracting the virus themselves in order to help and save all of us. Therefore, it is a priority to equip them with all the necessary Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). Ensuring that our front-liners are sufficiently equipped and fully supported will bring us closer to beating Covid-19.

If you are willing and able to donate to front-liners and the less fortunate you may do so. However, if you are not, then all you have to do to help is to follow ECQ guidelines.

To know more about the details of the ECQ, click here.

To find out where you can donate, click here.

The Short Answer to Who are the Front-liners in the Fight against Covid-19 and How Can We Help Them?

The front-liners are health care workers, hospital staff, sanitation workers, garbage collectors, food industry personnel, delivery service workers, security guards, and government employees. While most of us are at home, they are risking their health and their lives in order to stop the spread of the 2019 novel Coronavirus disease (Covid-19). While they work more hours and days than they should all for the safety and health of everyone, the least we can do is to stay at home, practice proper hygiene, and encourage others to do the same.

The number of Covid-19 cases are still on the rise with the country’s total at 3,246 as of 4:00 pm on April 05, 2020 (DOH). The number of positive Covid-19 cases in Davao City is at sixty-five (65) as of 8:00pm on April 05, 2020 (DOH). An Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) has been implemented in Davao City and it will last from 9:00 pm of April 04, 2020 until 11:59 pm of April 19, 2020.

People are risking their lives to care for those already infected with the virus and to stop it from spreading any further. They are working themselves to the bone all for us. If we disregard quarantine guidelines, we are invalidating all the progress our front-liners have worked so hard to achieve and we are also jeopardizing not only our lives but the lives of those around us. Let us not be selfish and careless, especially during a crisis like this. The sooner we follow ECQ guidelines, the sooner that this crisis will be over.