TAGUM CITY-The City Government of Tagum inaugurated today, May 5, 2020, its infectious diseases isolation facility as it takes its battle against COVID-19 a notch higher.

The facility, which is housed inside the Disaster Management Complex that was also inaugurated today, will cater Persons Under Investigation with mild respiratory conditions.

The City Health Office will serve as the main administrator of the facility, with technical guidance from the Davao Regional Medical Center that has provided technical training for the operation of the said facility.

Mayor Allan Rellon said that the conversion of the still-unutilized evacuation center into an isolation facility is part of the proactive response of the local government in containing the spread of the virus of the city.

TIMELY INVESTMENT

The LGU has set aside 16.3 million pesos for this facility, which has 28 single air-conditioned isolation rooms complete with amenities.

Tagum's premiere isolation facility also boasts of a portable x-ray machine worth seven million pesos, purchased specifically for the facility. Post-pandemic, the machine can be utilized by the City Health Office for its various services, City Health Officer Dr. Arnel Florendo said.

This is part of the mega investment of the LGU related to COVID-19 that was culled out from the city's development fund and its share from the Bayanihan Grant provided by the national government which is a one month-equivalent of the city's share from the internal revenue allotment.

Earlier this week, the LGU also announced it is pitching in four million pesos for the establishment of a COVID-19 Testing Laboratory to be managed by the Davao Regional Medical Center.

The said testing laboratory set to be completed in June will be a product of an inter-LGU alliance along with the local governments of Samal and Panabo cities which donated three million pesos each, while the provincial government of Davao del Norte allocated two million pesos for the facility.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT COMPLEX

The Infectious Diseases Isolation Facility is one of the buildings housed in the City Disaster Complex, which was also blessed and inaugurated today (May 11).

Mayor Rellon led today's inauguration along with Bishop Medil Aseo of the Diocese of Tagum.

For the first time, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) will have its permanent headquarters after the local government unit allocated funds for its 24/7 operation center.

The complex is located along National Highway in Barangay Canocotan, Tagum City.

City Administrator Giovanni Rellon, who also sits as the CDRRMO concurrent head, said that the completion of the facility was timely as the city is in the forefront of its battle with COVID-19.

The COVID-19 City Task Force organized its command center at the same complex since March 15, 2020.

'FAR FROM OVER'

The city suffered its first COVID19-related death last week, although the COVID-19 City Task Force already reported that all nine Tagumenyos who tested positive for the coronavirus have already recovered.

Despite achieving zero active cases for now, the local government stresses the need for a heightened observance of government-recommended protocols on social distancing, frequent hand-washing and full compliance of its stay-at-home order.

In a statement, the LGU stressed that "while it is tempting to declare that Tagum is already COVID-free, external threats are still present."

"Tagumenyos are reminded not to be overconfident because the war against the invisible enemy is still far from over," it said. (Louie Lapat/CIO Tagum)

The air-conditioned isolation rooms in the facility have their own personal comfort room and a flat-screen television. Leo Timogan/CIO Tagum