An Open Statement on the Coronavirus Pandemic and the Contamination of Brgy. Luz, Cebu City

April 17, 2020

Reference: Emalyn M. Aliviano, Spokesperson

Mobile phone number: 0932-357-6253

Kilusan-Cebu expresses its utmost concern and strong objection to the government’s response to the coronavirus infection in the country, as exemplified in the case of Sitio Zapatera, Barrio Luz, in Cebu City.

There are reports of a policy to implement absolute lockdown of the community of Sitio Zapatera, Barrio Luz in Cebu City, supposedly because it is ‘considered totally contaminated’. Swab testing in the community has, reportedly, been subsequently withdrawn. Apparently, the DOH has given up on the community, and on the more than 9,000 people living there.

The following questions must be posed – is it presumed that everybody in Sitio Zapatera has been infected with the virus? How did they arrive at such conclusion? Have all the people been tested? And what are the government’s plan to minimize the damage to lives?

Sitio Zapatera in Bo. Luz is a 23, 690 sq. meter urban poor community of some 620 families. Like other urban poor communities, it is densely populated. Each family was officially provided only 30 sq. meter in 2004 by a Cebu City Legislation. Offspring, themselves poor, who eventually formed their own families added up to each household. Two to three families to a household have become common. Industrial and service workers, odd-jobbers, teachers, government employees – toiling people who make the factories churn out goods and who deliver essential services to society – inhabit Sitio Zapatera.

On April 7 the first case of coronavirus infection in the sitio were identified and on April 11 another two cases of infection were identified, presumably as a result of contact tracing. Though they tested positive, they were told to self-quarantine, in their home in that community, which in such types of community, means no quarantining at all. As expected, they infected 21 others, first some members of their family and eventually members of some other families in that congested neighborhood. The number of reported infections grew to 29 in April 15, to 53 in April 16, and to135 currently April 17. Of these positive cases, only 1 taken to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Hospital. The rest were again told to self-quarantine in that congested community.

The policy of absolute lockdown of Sitio Zapatera, with positive cases of infection among the residents,, is akin to putting these 9,000 people in a ship and sending the ship out to sea (akin to infected cruise ships); or putting them all in some enclosed rehabilitation center for detainees with infected persons among them. The virus will definitely spread, as it spread in the Diamond Princess Cruise ship (to more than 800 people, causing no less than 20 deaths) or in the Chicago prison, infecting more than 276 detainees and jail keepers. Yet in those two cases, for humanitarian reasons, under the presumption that society still value human lives, efforts were exerted to identify and isolate those infected and treat them, and save as many human lives as possible. It seems that such humane treatment cannot be accorded to the people of Sitio Zapatera. 

Government authorities are either ignorant, but more likely callous, to think that the enhanced community quarantine (as is, where is) when there are already known cases of infection, will work to contain the infection in urban poor communities.

These communities are the most vulnerable to local transmission of virus. Houses have hardly any space between them making ventilation poor. Each house, of some 25 to 40 sq. meter is normally shared by two or three families. For most residents, the roadside is the only available open space, where they can breathe some fresher air. Social distancing, much more, isolating those positive for infection, are simply not possible under such conditions. Worse, because of pervading poverty, people in urban poor communities are not sufficiently and properly nourished, nor properly treated for various illnesses; hence a considerable number of them have pre-existing medical conditions. The conditions in urban poor communities present all the ingredients for a massive spread of coronavirus.

To lock them down, with cases of infection among them, and withdraw efforts at identifying and isolating those infected in proper quarantine facilities, bespeaks of the virulence of moral decay that has crept into the highest echelon of our society. That is endorsing ‘herd immunity” and subscribing to the law of the jungle of ‘survival of the fittest’. But those concerned beasts, not human beings.

The government has sufficient resources at its command to prevent the unnecessary spread of COVID 19 and hence, loss of lives. We demand that it use these public resources to save the lives of our people:

1. Conduct community-level testing using the rapid tests being used by other countries. And hasten the process of bio-safe testing being done in laboratories. Hire the necessary health personnel for these –nurses, medical technologists, etc.; buy the necessary reagents for the test to be done.
2. Buy these testing kits from where they are being massively produced, possibly China, South Korea and Singapore – counties that have contained infection; do not simply wait for donations. Better still, mobilize local laboratories – of universities and pharmaceutical companies to mass-produce these test kits by subsidizing mass production through various means- subsidized credit, co-financing, tax incentives, and the like;
3. Set up the proper quarantine facilities for those positive of infection but without symptoms yet, and for those who have been exposed to persons who have tested positive (PUIs and PUMs); that would improve monitoring and ensure social distancing;
4. Treat those already sick; render hospital services and medicine accessible to them, free for those certified as indigents;
5. Evacuate vulnerable communities from the flood of infection to effect social distancing. This is a calamity; as in all calamities, evacuate and secure the vulnerable people.
6. Prepare, and disinfect for use, currently idle public facilities – school classrooms, school grounds, sports arena, and parks. When needed, tap the resources under the control of private individuals, corporations and organizations as the country clubs, private school grounds, and when necessary, under-occupied hotels, pension houses, apartels, and inns; Only by doing so can social distancing be practiced by the poor and can we put an end to this epidemic in the country.
7. Ensure the well-being, and protection for our frontliners, both in public and private hospitals. . Many have been infected already (7% of all infections) and more than 20 have died because of insufficient protection. Provide them all the necessary protection –N95 and surgical masks, gloves, protective gowns, headdress and shoe covers, soap and sanitizers – and more importantly, access to testing. Mass-produce those that can be produced locally. Hire all necessary personnel to prevent work overload. Penalize hospital authorities/owners who deny such protection to scrimp on costs. Provide free health insurance to uninsured health care workers, at least for the duration of this pandemic. Provide hazard pay to relieve them of pressures from their families’ daily needs. 
8. Fast-track the build-up of necessary hospital facilities and equipment – hospital space, hospital beds, ICUs, ventilators to prepare for any surge.
9. Meanwhile, ensure that every family has its most basic necessities – food on their table, soap and other toiletries for basic hygiene, clean water for drinking and personal use, others.
10. More importantly, empower the people with knowledge about this problem that is wreaking havoc on their lives.

Positions in government are sought for, as they entail authority and power. However, such are also paid for by the people and should always be treated as public trust. We now demand that such authority and power be used, not against the people, but in the service of the people, especially in this time of crisis. This COVID 19 pandemic now provides another crucible through which everyone in the supposed public service will be tested.

We call on all who value human life to join us in pursuing these calls. Let us work as one for our people in these times of need. ###