Police guard entrance to PRI. Facebook photograb
ANGELES CITY – “Is the Covid-19 hospital here for Angeleños only?”
This was the reaction of former Holy Rosary Parish Priest and now Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David after the PRI Medical Center here was padlocked by the mayor.
On March 28, Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” G. Lazatin Jr. ordered the literal lockdown of the PRI Medical Center in Barangay Pampang here “for admitting a Covid-19 patient and three persons under investigation (PUI) from Quezon City without the knowledge of the city government.”
Lazatin said: “the PRI has put the entire Angeles City in danger. Pinalusutan nila tayo ng positive patient na hindi taga rito.”
This, as he deployed policemen and barangay tanods round-the-clock to secure PRI and ensure that no personnel or patient will not be allowed to go out. Lazatin said all people inside PRI will be under quarantine.
But the PRI Medical Center said: “We would like to assure Angelenos that PRI Medical Center has taken the proper security and safety measures to ensure that the safety of the citizens of the Province of Pampanga, including our health workers and front liners are not compromised. Before accepting the Covid-19 suspected positive patient, PRI Medical Center has done the necessary steps and prepared its facilities to accommodate both health workers and front liners as well as patient in need of medical support.”
In ending, the PRI said: “We assure the public that we are on top of the situation and we would never make rash decisions that would endanger not only our lives, but also the lives of our medical personnel and front liners.”
The hospital management also invoked the Hippocratic Oath required of all people in the medical profession.
David said: “it is already a big blessing for Pampanga that now there is a well-equipped private hospital that has agreed to cater exclusively to Covid-19 positive patients and is preparing seriously for the daunting task. Now the mayor says because the hospital is located in his LGU, it should cater only to people in his LGU. His reason? Because the presence of Covid-19 positive patients in the said hospital endangers his LGU!”
He continued: “Does that mean the honorable mayor is suggesting that the Makati Med can accept only Covid-19 patients from Makati? Does he expect the rest of the hospitals in the country to follow suit?”
Calling the move “unchristian,” David wants the mayor to reconsider his decision: “Mayor, I do not know what your religion is. But I know that such a policy is unchristian, plain and simple. Please reconsider.”
Meanwhile, the PRI MC remains closed and the strict enforcement of the enhanced community quarantine, especially along the borders of the city, is being closely monitored.
