By Joseph Almer Pedrajas
The municipal government of Capas, Tarlac has started cooperating with the national government, in a sudden turn of events, a day after expressing objection to the Department of Health’s (DOH’s) plan to turn its Athletes’ Village in the New Clark City (NCC) as a quarantine site for Filipinos from virus-hit Wuhan, China.
`In this handout photo taken on February 9, 2020, and received from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) government workers wearing protective suits supervise the repatriation of Filipinos from Wuhan, China, as they disembark from a chartered plane shortly after arriving at Clark international airport, Pampanga province, on their way to a quarantine area in nearby Tarlac town. (Photo by STR / various sources / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)
In its Facebook page, the Capas Information Office disclosed Sunday night that dinner, hygiene kits, and towels will be given to the repatriates who are now under quarantine at the Athletes’ Village. They arrived in the country Sunday morning.
Read more: Evacuated Filipinos from Wuhan, China now in the Philippines
It added that town mayor Reynaldo Catacutan has also initiated to sponsor the meals of the police personnel who are deployed in the vicinity of NCC.
On Saturday, Vice Mayor Roseller Rodriguez lamented that the local government was not informed regarding the health department’s plan to set up a quarantine site in their town.
He expressed concern that communities near the Athletes’ Village might be put at risk as the 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) could have a possibility to spread.
Catacutan, in an earlier statement, said that he felt “perturbed” that Capas officials were not even involved in the decision making of putting up a quarantine site in NCC. He also urged the President to consider another area.
However, the mayor eventually defended his statement, saying it was “not a final stand,” but an “initial reaction from a father,” which was caused by panic.
Read more: Capas mayor explains initial reaction to quarantine news
“Capas can only move forward and throw its all-out support to this nationally-led endeavor,” Catacutan said.
“Let’s all face all the challenges brought by the nCoV and let’s all unite amid concerns, which are now already addressed by the national government’s efforts,” he added.
Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III had earlier warned that officials could face administrative and criminal charges should they resist the national government’s decision, particularly if it is of a national concern.
Read more: Tarlac town brings quarantine issue to court