Last month, I texted and called Puerto Princesa City Information Officer Richard Ligad and sent a text message to Dr. Dean Palanca of the City Health Office. The two, according to my colleague in Palawan, are the focal persons in any COVID-19 support and queries in the city.
I informed them that I received a call from a local experiencing hard and short breathing. He is an orphan, and I suspected that his symptoms were connected to the COVID-19 virus.
Protocols are in place for situations like these, especially in transporting patients to the facilities or hospitals. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health (DOH) advised to seek and immediately inform the authorities for proper dispositions to prevent the spreading of the virus if the individual is revealed to be COVID-19 positive.
Unfortunately, I didn’t receive any response from the two officials who are at the forefront of the efforts against COVID-19. Because of this experience, I realized how difficult it is for the locals to reach them, especially during this time.
Instead of waiting for a response team, the patient was transported to the hospital with help of his neighbors and he is now in the healing process. Thankfully, his symptoms were not caused by the COVID-19 virus.
Sirs, I did not ask you to personally fetch the patient, but to show to your people that you “walk your talk.”