In a bid to further combat the threat of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the city, sanitation booths were already installed at Puerto Princesa public markets.
Joseph Vincent Carpio, acting market superintendent, told Palawan Daily News (PDN) Wednesday these structures were installed on April 3 and 4 at the city’s old and new public markets.
Carpio said these are now operational at the markets, which were made possible through the concerted efforts of the Oplan Linis Office (OLO), City Engineering Office (CEO), City Health Office (CHO), and City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO).
Carpio said the public are encouraged to use these sanitation booths before and after getting inside the market building.
“We encourage them to undergo ‘yong sanitation. Hindi lang ‘yong pag-pasok, maging pati ‘yong pag-labas. Malaking percent na ‘yong papasok sa loob [ng palengke] ay walang problema. Kaya namin ini-re-require pag-labas ay palagay ko kung ako, halimbawa kung ako ‘yong person, para sa akin mas importante ‘yong pag-labas kasi pupunta na ako sa pamilya ko. I have to make sure na ‘yong percentage na kung meron man akong nakuha sa labas ay mawala siya,” said Carpio.
However, Carpio said he is advising everyone to wear face mask inside the booth.
He added they do not encourage the use of sanitation booth for those who have asthma and are hypersensitive to disinfecting chemicals, pregnant women, and people with skin allergies or open wound.
Carpio stated these sanitation booths were already approved by the Department of Health (DOH), yet said he does not have a personal knowledge on what kind of chemical disinfectant is being used on the liquid solution.
“Oo pasado siya. Hindi natin siya gagamitin kung hindi siya pasado,” he said.
Carpio also noted that the project was initially initiated by Ms. Judith Raine Bayron, under the office of Oplan Linis.
Carpio said his initial data for the old public market revealed a daily average of 2,744 individuals using the sanitation booth from 5 a.m. to 12 noon, and another approximately 845 individuals from noon to 5 p.m.
“Actually noong hinatid ‘yan sa old market kasama si Ms. Bayron as well as doon sa new market kasmsa si Ms. Bayron. Ang grupo ni Ms. Bayron ‘yong responsible doon sa paglalagay ng solution, pagre-refill,” he said.
Carpio said the sanitation booths are presently managed by trained staff of the public markets.