By Jhon Aldrin Casinas The local government of Pasig City will shoulder the expenses for the cremation of its residents whose deaths were determined to have been related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto
(KEVIN TRISTAN ESPIRITU / MANILA BULLETIN) “Para sa mga taga-Pasig na may COVID-related death, sagot ng Lokal na Pamahalaan ang cremation {For Pasig residents who have COVID-related death, the local government will shoulder the (expenses for the) cremation},” Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto said in a Facebook post Thursday. Sotto said that Evergreen Chapels management has agreed to charge the regular rate for the cremation of patients who have lost their lives because of the disease and its complications. Likewise, the local chief executive assured Pasig residents that safety protocols set by the Department of Health (DOH) will be followed. “Wag mag-alala, mahigpit tayong sumusunod sa mga protocol ng DOH at 100 percent ligtas po ito (Don’t worry, we strictly follow the protocols of the DOF and this is 100 percent safe),” he said. As for non-COVID deaths, the city mayor said the burial assistance of the local government through “Project Damayan” will still be available. “Kung kailangan naman ng sertipikasyon na non-COVID-19, may naka-duty tayong doktor sa mga SuperHealth Center, 24/7 (For deaths that are not related to COVID-19 that need a certification, we have on-duty doctors at our Super Health Center, 24/7),” Sotto said. The bereaved families of the deceased may call 8-643-0000 to avail themselves of the services and benefits provided by the city government. As of Wednesday, there were 147 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Pasig with 25 fatalities and 31 recoveries, the local government disclosed.#