More government offices placed under hard lockdown

by Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star), 18 Mar 2021

MANILA, Philippines — More government offices have been put under lockdown as COVID-19 cases among employees spike, with authorities using the closure to implement necessary sanitation and disinfection procedures.

At the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) head office in Intramuros, Manila, several offices were placed under lockdown after three employees tested positive for COVID-19.

Aside from the three, several employees are waiting for the results of their swab tests, according to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.

The DOLE will resume operations tomorrow with only essential workers reporting for work. The agency is expected to return to normal operations by Monday.

Government-run broadcaster PTV-4 is suspending operations from March 17 to 22 after a reported outbreak of COVID-19 cases in the newsroom. In its program advisory, the PTV-4 management said the station went off air to contain COVID-19 outbreak at its main station in Quezon City. Staff will be subjected to mass testing. As of yesterday, more than 20 employees are still battling the illness.

In the meantime, Radio-Television Malacañang (RTVM) will be doing its regular broadcast of the President’s activities through its official Facebook account, RTVM chief Demic Pabalan said.

The National Police Commission’s (Napolcom) central office in Quezon City was locked down from March 17 to 19 after three employees contracted COVID-19.

Napolcom vice chairman Vitaliano Aguirre II ordered the closure to disinfect offices and trace close contacts of those who tested positive.

Aguirre clarifed that only the Napolcom was closed, while DILG offices will remain open. The Napolcom will resume operations on March 22.

Last March 12, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra ordered the suspension of on-site work until March 16 after several COVID-19 cases were recorded at the main office compound in Padre Faura, Manila.

While DOJ employees continued working from home, authorities disinfected and sanitized the offices. DOJ resumed on-site work yesterday, but only allowed 50 percent of personnel to physically report. – Evelyn Macairan, Christina Mendez, Emmanuel Tupas, Edu Punay, Robertzon Ramirez