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Maasin mayor asks diocese to explain alleged health protocol breach Posted: 27 May 2021 08:45 AM PDT MAASIN City Mayor Nacional Mercado on Thursday, May 27, 2021, asked the Diocese of Maasin to explain the alleged violation of the minimum health protocols during the priesthood ordination and reception on May 24 amid the rising cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the city and the province. In a statement, Mercado said the city government "is consistent to go after the said violators of our established health and safety protocols and might as well to hold them accountable for their actions, regardless of their status or position." "We, thereby, continuously reiterate the strict adherence to our Covid-19 infection-prevention and control measures for the safety and well-being of our community," the mayor said. According to Mercado, the letter to the diocese was based on the recommendation of the City Inter-agency Task Force (CIATF) during its meeting on Thursday. "May we request for your written explanation on the alleged violation of the minimum health protocols as imposed by the National IATF and adopted by the Provincial Government of Southern Leyte and the City Government of Maasin," said Mercado in a letter addressed to Monsignor Oscar Cadayona, the diocese's vicar general. "Your valuable cooperation of the matter would be of great help in the resolution of this investigation and in the furtherance of public service," the mayor added. Netizens and residents also expressed dismay over the alleged health protocol breach after photographs of the gatherings were circulated on social media. One internet user also called the event a "super spreader." Meanwhile, Monsignor Cadayona said he could not comment yet on the photographs circulated online, adding that he was not present during the event. "...I was in self-isolation for how many days till that time. I could not comment on it. But as far as I know they observed the health protocol for this time of pandemic," Monsignor Cadayona told Sunstar Philippines. The city mayor earlier signed executive order no. 23, which regulates mass gatherings in the city. As a proactive measure against the spread of Covid-19, the city government directed residents to refrain from celebrating barangay day and fiesta celebrations for the entire month of May 2021. Southern Leyte Governor Damian Mercado has also proposed to place the whole province under general community quarantine (GCQ) for June, saying that there is a need for negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests, acceptance from local government unit, and reactivation of provincial boundaries for returning residents. As of Thursday, Maasin recorded 16 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases at 549 (0.60 percent based on the projected population), with 487 recoveries (88.71 percent of confirmed cases), 50 active cases (9.11 percent), and 12 (2.18 percent) deaths. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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