This Week in Bacolod (February 14 to 20, 2021)

The City Government of Bacolod will be implementing a “No BaCTrac, No Entry” policy in all establishments starting March 1, 2021, to strengthen the city’s contact tracing efforts [1]. This protocol is part of the proposed amendments under the City Ordinance 941: Covid-19 Contact Tracing System Ordinance of Bacolod City.

BaCTrac, or the Bacolod Contact Tracing System, is a web-based and mobile-based application developed for the city that will support the EOC Task Force’s efforts in locating suspected individuals for COVID-19. According to Dr. Chris Sorongon, deputy for medical and data analysis of the Emergency Operations (EOC) Task Force, this initiative is expected to curb the COVID-19 cases in the city. Sorongon added that the use of logbooks is no longer allowed in establishments.

Meanwhile, the consumption of alcoholic beverages in establishments such as restaurants, hotels, and bars will be allowed from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Sorongon said that an Executive Order (EO) for the following adjustment in the partial liquor ban is being drafted.

Mayors of Negros Occidental towns and cities still express doubts about lifting border restrictions to Negros Oriental. By this, Provincial Administrator Lawyer Rayfrando Diaz said that Negros Occidental is not yet opening the border in the near future. Meanwhile, Negros Oriental is also implementing a strict border control within its jurisdiction [2].

The city government of Bacolod prepares for the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines by holding a dry run of the COVID-19 vaccination program last February 5, 2021. Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia stressed that the city’s vaccines will possibly arrive in July and he wants everything to run in order. The dry run was spearheaded by the City Health Office (CHO) together with the Maternal Neonatal and Child Health and Nutrition Division chief, EPI Medical, nurse coordinators, and barangay health workers [3].

As of February 8, the City Government of Bacolod and Bacolod COVID-19 Vaccination (COVAC) inspected 26 vaccination centers in the city’s various barangays. These centers are identified to be barangay gymnasiums and schools which have big areas to accommodate a large number of people who want to be vaccinated. According to Councilor Renecito Novero, each vaccination center will have two doctors and about ten nurses and midwives [4].

Go to Yoorekka for more COVID-19 updates in Bacolod this love month and beyond.