CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Stepped up, literally and figuratively, is the city government’s implementation of the physical distancing protocol in the fight against the coronavirus disease.
Coming shortly after the imposition of the community quarantine, the city initiated “Apat na Sulok ng Buhay” (Square of Life), whereby the city public order and safety coordinating office and the city market operations division painted squares and lines in pavements along public places, including groceries, drugstores, and pawnshops to guide the public in observing physical distancing.
“Ang paglalagay natin ng Squares of Life ay naglalayong mapalawak natin ang kaalaman ng ating mga ka-siyudad na napakaimportante na magsagawa ng physical distancing kung tayo po ay pupunta sa mga matataong lugar o kaya kung tayo po ay maga-avail ng mga serbisyo sa mga establisyimento,” said CPOSCO chief Louie Clemente.
Since the start of the community quarantine impositions, an average of 2,000 to 4,000 individuals go to the Old Public Market in the Poblacion area daily while 1,000 to 3,000 go to the New Public Market in Barangay Del Pilar.
This, Clemente noted, has made the strict imposition of health protocols, specially physical distancing, an imperative.
Of late, 700 painted squares with new designs have appeared all around the city proper as the initial outcome of the city government’s partnership with Davies Paints Philippines, Inc., through its “Let’s Stand Together by Standing Apart Project.”
The paint company will maintain its sponsored Squares of Life.
The markers in place, Clemente said, scofflaws are now forewarned: “Dito sa ating city proper, nakakalat ang mga kasamahan natin sa CPOSCO at CMOD upang mag-ikot, mag-check, at mag-monitor doon sa mga kababayan na hindi sumusunod sa naturang polisiya. Katuwang din natin ang ating barangay officials upang manita at manghuli sa mga hindi sumusunod para isailalim sila sa community service bilang karampatang parusa.”
With what he called “the onset of the new normal,”Mayor Edwin “EdSa” Santiago called on his constituents “to prioritize their safety and lessen their fears.”
“Ngayong tayo ay nasa ‘new normal’ na, panawagan ko sa Fernandinos, ‘bawasan ang takot, dagdagan ang ingat.’ Ibig sabihin po nito, kung alam po nating tayo ay sumusunod sa iba’t-ibang alituntunin, wala po tayong dapat ikatakot,” he said. With CSFP-CIO
