‘Strike balance between measures to prevent spread of COVID-19, ensuring food on the table’

The measures to prevent spread of the COVID-19 virus should be balanced with the need to provide food for their families.

Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, Siquijor Governor Zaldy Villa and Tagbilaran City Mayor John Baba Yap cited the need to balance measures to contain the virus with ensuring their constituents have enough food to sustain them.

“Ang importante, unsaon pag-contain nga dili magutom ang tawo. Didto namo ifocus ang among desisyon (What is important is to know how to contain the virus without starving people. This is where we will focus our decision),” said Governor Degamo.

Tagbilaran City Mayor John Baba Yap also agreed with the Negros Oriental governor. “Sama sa giingon ni Governor Degama, ang importante, dili magutman ang katawahan (Just like what Governor Degama had said, it is important that the people will not starve),” he said.

With the lifting of restrictions on travel, Governor Villa noted the need to come up with a plan for the influx of returning individuals to the province.

“Ang recovery plan, mao pod ni among gisabotan. Duha na ka semana ang among meeting kun unsaon ang gradual lifting of lockdown (We are still coming up with a recovery plan. We hve been meeting two weeks discussing the gradual lifting of the lockdown),” Villa said.

Negros Oriental would be focusing on agriculture and fishery as the province has very few industrial area, Governor Degamo said. He added that, according to the provincial agriculturist, the province has sufficient food supply.

For his part, Mayor Yap said they will exert efforts to boost their local economy but noted the importance of maintaining the status quo of zero local COVID-19 transmission.

Meanwhile, Governor Villa sets his eyes on attracting light industries to Siquijor. “After the lockdown, nagplano na mi ug economic zone diri sa Siquijor for light industries (After the lockdown, we plan to put up an economic zone for light industries in Siquijor,” he said.

According to the governor, there are several light industries who have expressed interest to set up operations in Siquijor.

All three officials have agreed that containing the spread of the coronavirus remains their major focus since this would have an impact on their economic recovery.

All three LGUs have been placed under the general community quarantine because of their absence or low number of COVID-19 cases.

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