"LET'S TAKE CARE OF SITIO ZAPATERA RESIDENTS.
LET'S EMPOWER OUR HOUSEHOLDS AND COMMUNITIES"
***Statement of Senator Risa Hontiveros on Sitio Zapatera incident

I welcome Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella's statement that the Department of Health will continue massive testing for Covid-19 in Sitio Zapatera and in the rest of Barangay Luz. Identifying, isolating, and treating those infected have proven to stop the spread of the corona virus and save lives.

The case of Sitio Zapatera emphasizes the urgency of capacitating our local governments to contain and mitigate the effects of an epidemic by strengthening the local health management system, which was one of the policy recommendations of our Covid-19 Health Policy Working Group's urgent appeal earlier this month. It also underscores the need to empower families and communities in continuing preventive and protective practices and home-based care.

I urge our Cebuano brothers and sisters to continue to take care of each other, especially our elderly and those with pre-existing conditions. Continue to share what you can. These are hard days for all of us but harder still for our brothers and sisters who are on strict quarantine protocols.

These past weeks, we have seen the best of Filipino bayanihan in how we've mobilized to care for our vulnerable communities and our frontline heroes. You have already responded to the appeal for support of the Brgy. Luz officials for Oplan Utanon, a drive to provide baskets of nutritious vegetables for 800 Sitio Zapatera families. You have also supported Akbayan's Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon's initiative to provide care packs of much-needed hand sanitizers, face masks and cash for Brgy. Luz. We have much to be proud of but we have still a long way to go before we will prevail over Covid-19.

Let us continue to hold in our hearts the Easter message of hope. Let us remain strong in our faith and in solidarity with each other.