Marikina, Taguig to strengthen anti-Covid-19 efforts

Teodoro said he is grateful for the recognition of his local government’s effort against Covid-19. (File photo: Marikina PIO/Facebook)

MANILA – The cities of Marikina and Taguig vowed to beef up efforts in fighting the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

This, after Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro and Taguig Mayor Lino Cayetano were named as among the five local chief executives in Metro Manila who got the highest approval ratings from their constituents in terms of their response to the health crisis based on a recent survey conducted by Publicus Asia Inc. in partnership with Kantar.

Teodoro said he is grateful for the recognition of his local government’s effort against Covid-19.

“I am elated that our city has been recognized as one of the top five cities in NCR (National Capital Region) which accumulated the most approval ratings when it comes to job performance in combating Covid-19,” Teodoro told the Philippine News Agency in a text message late Wednesday.

This recognition, he said, would boost the Marikina City government’s resolve in its fight against Covid-19.

Teodoro said that it is his responsibility to serve his constituents with his utmost ability and efforts.

“As the father of Marikina City, it is my foremost duty and responsibility as a public servant to serve my constituents to the best of my ability, especially now that the whole country is facing a health crisis,” Teodoro said.

The health of the Marikina residents is the “primordial concern” of the local government, he added.

Throughout the pandemic, Marikina has been proactive in mass testing, isolation, and supportive treatments.

Meanwhile, the Taguig City government said there is a lot more to in the battle against the pandemic.

“Ang Pamahalaang Lungsod ng Taguig ay patuloy na maglulunsad ng mga programa upang masiguro na ligtas at handa ang ating komunidad sa krisis na ito [The local government of Taguig will continue launching programs to ensure safe and prepared community in this crisis],” it said in a Facebook post.

It, however, expressed optimism that it will be able to eventually win the fight against the disease.

“Naniniwala ang lokal na pamahalaan na sa ating patuloy na pagbabayanihan ay sama-sama nating matatalo ang Covid-19 [The local government believes that our unity with of our people, we can together beat Covid-19],” it said.

Taguig is using pro-active measures in addressing the Covid-19 crisis as one of the first local government units in the National Capital Region to design an approach to contain the sickness since January.

It also launched its Systematic Mass Approach to Responsible Testing, which features hospital testing, house-to-house testing, community-based testing through health centers, and drive-thru testing.

Also included in the actions taken by Cayetano against Covid-19 are partnering with the private sector in the containment and contact tracing efforts, sterilizing workplaces, and web-based services in consultation and education, among others.

Based on the Covid-19 online panel survey from May 5 to 8 conducted on 1,000 Metro Manila residents, Teodoro and Cayetano got an approval rating of 69 and 68 percent, respectively.

Aside from them, mayors who are in the top five were Rex Gatchalian of Valenzuela, with 92 percent; Vico Sotto of Pasig with 83 percent, and Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso of Manila with 76 percent.

The three other mayors have yet to comment on the results of the survey.

“The best-case practices employed by these high-performing local chief executives and city governments should be studied and emulated by other LGUs and government institutions working to beat Covid-19,” Publicus Asia Inc. executive director and spokesperson Aureli Sinsuat said in a statement.