San Fernando reverts to GCQ; Ifugao town mayor infected

MANILA, Philippines — La Union’s capital city of San Fernando will be under general community quarantine starting today until May 7.

In an executive order issued on Thursday, Mayor Alfredo Pablo Ortega said the movement of people would still be limited to accessing food and basic services.

Ortega said hospitals and quarantine facilities in the city are overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients even as only one case was reported on Thursday.

San Fernando has 311 active cases.

The city is among six areas in La Union placed under modified enhanced community quarantine early this month amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Meanwhile, the mayor of Kiangan town in Ifugao has tested positive for COVID-19.

“It’s sad, but we have to face the music,” Mayor Raldis Bulayungan said in a social media advisory.

Bulayungan urged those who were exposed to him to isolate and observe themselves for symptoms.

The mayor is among the 10 new cases in the town, the total number of which breached 100 on Thursday.

Bulayungan is the second mayor in Ifugao to be infected with COVID-19.

Mayor Martin Habawel Jr. of Lagawe contracted the virus last week.

Another cop dies

As this developed, a 50-year-old captain assigned at the Marilao police in Bulacan died of COVID-19, bringing the number of Philippine National Police personnel who succumbed to the virus to 52, the PNP reported yesterday.

“I would like to express my deepest condolences to the bereaved family... Rest assured that you shall receive the benefits due from his years of service,” PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas said.

The PNP recorded 201 new COVID-19 cases, PNP deputy chief for administration  Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said.

Eleazar said 104 of the new patients are assigned in various regional offices while 62 are from administrative and operational support  units of the PNP.

There are now 2,133 active cases in the PNP.

At least 19,298 PNP personnel have contracted the virus, of whom 17,113 have recovered. –  Raymund Catindig, Artemio Dumlao