Marikina Mayor Marcy Teodoro on Monday said that he wants safety protocol officers in place after crowds flocked to the Marikina Riverpark following the implementation of Alert Level 2 in Metro Manila.
In a circulating video online, people, including children, crowded the park until evening with possible neglect of minimum public health standards.
Teodoro told DZRH on Monday that he called a meeting with the authorities of the Marikina Riverpark Center to remind them that while there are no longer age restrictions, maximum capacity policies are still in place.
"Pinatawag ko yung management nung mall, pinapaliwanag ko nga sa kanila na tama naman sila pero merong kapasidad na susundin - 50% sa loob at sa labas ay 70%," he told DZRH in an interview.
(We called the mall management and explained to them that while they are right, there are still capacities that need to be followed – 50% for indoors and 70% for outdoors.)
He added that the mall should apply for a safety seal certification and deploy safety protocol officers to ensure that maximum capacity is observed.
"Sinabihan natin ngayon itong mga establishment na magtalaga, mag-identify, mag-assign ng safety protocol officers na kapag lagpas na dun sa 50% capacity yung isang venue ay wag munang magpapasok at hayaan munang makalabas o makaalis yung iba bago magpapasok ng dagdag na tao," he added.
(We told these establishments to assign and identify safety protocol officers to bar entrants in case such venues go over 50% capacity and wait for people to leave before allowing entry again.)
For outdoor venues, entrances and exits should be in areas that can be controlled.
The Marikina mayor said even he was surprised by the turnout of people to the river park, and said they were not only from local residents but citizens from neighboring places such as Antipolo and Pasig as well.
"Talagang excited mga tao, ako'y nabigla rin eh," he said.
(People are really excited, even I’m surprised.)
According to Teodoro, surveillance testing is underway for the vendors in the river park to find out if COVID-19 transmission took place during the event.
"Magsasample tayo ng ilan, itetest para malaman lang kung merong mga contamination o transmission na nangyari," he said. "Gagawin natin 'to dun sa mga nagtitinda dun sa lugar na 'yun o kaya yung mga nagpupunta sa mga lugar na nabanggit."
(We will sample a few and test them to find out if COVID-19 contamination or transmission takes place. We will conduct it to vendors in the area or those who went to such places.)
He said that such overcrowding incidents already took place in the area weeks ago, and personnel has been deployed to maintain order in the place.
"Di ko lang malaman kahapon bakit biglang nawala 'yung mga nagbabantay. Sabi ko dapat maging consistent sila sa enforcement ng mga regulation," he said.
(I just don’t know why the guards suddenly disappeared yesterday. I said they should be consistent in enforcing regulations.)
Meanwhile, after holding talks with businesses, the local government will talk to drivers of public utility vehicles to increase their passenger capacity in a safe way.
"Katulad po na sa mga terminal, bago umalis sana 'yung mga jeep, siguraduhing tama yung capacity, hindi lumalagpas," he said.
(For example in terminals, before a jeep leaves, it should be ensured that capacity did not go overboard.)
"Pangalawa, may contact-tracing forms at may mga record po kung ilan ang mga sumakay, sino ang sumakay para sa ganun kung sakaling may mga insidente ng COVID ay madali po nating ma-trace," he added.
(Second, there should be contact-tracing forms and records on how many rode the vehicle and who they are in order to make it easier to trace them in case of a COVID-19 outbreak.)
Teodoro said the government is also urging hospitals to maintain their bed utilization to moderate risk and not reduce hospital beds for COVID patients to ensure that infected patients have somewhere to go.
