Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas clarified that the city government has no plans of placing the city under a lockdown during the holidays.

Treñas issued the statement after receiving inquiries whether the city will go on lockdown starting Sunday, December 20, or anytime during this month.

“Please be informed that the city has no plans of going on lockdown at anytime during the holidays,” Treñas cleared.

He emphasized that the city government will only require all passengers coming in from Manila to undergo swab tests .

Since Dec. 1, the city logged a total of 12 positive cases among returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs).

As per report to Treñas by the Iloilo City Health Office (CHO)’s Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, all of these 12 cases were tested negative in Manila but when they arrived in the city, the second round of RT-PCR tests yielded positive results.

Meanwhile, Treñas also noted that the results of the tests on Friday showed one authorized person outside residence (APOR), one locally stranded individual (LSI) and one ROF who turned positive after they were tested upon arrival here. There were a total eight cases recorded on Friday.

“There are some sectors who question our protocols. If there are more issues and questions on our protocols, we will study all alternatives including a lockdown during the holidays just to ensure everyone is safe,” the city mayor said.

Meanwhile, the number of daily COVID-19 cases in Iloilo City is back again on a single digit.

For instance, on Dec. 19, the city logged seven cases only and two cases as of 12 noon yesterday.

This is the result of daily briefings and meetings of the COVID team, the fast testing of the COVID lab and the cooperation of everyone, the city mayor said.

He assured that the city will continue to publish early the results of its tests so that everyone will know what is happening in the city.

He further noted that results of RT-PCR tests conducted at Uswag Laboratory are out after a day. No more waiting like before./WDJ