DONA REMEDIOS TRINIDAD (DRT), Bulacan -- The mayor of this mountainous Bulacan town believes her jurisdiction is COVID-19-free because she minimizes human contact among her constituents by distributing relief goods to them, reducing their need to go out of their homes.
"Bukod sa hindi dikit-dikit o magkakalapit ang bahay dito, binigay namin ang pangunahing kailangan ng lahat naming mamayan (Aside from houses not being right beside each other, we give our residents their basic needs)," Mayor Dra. Marita L. Flores said in an interview on Monday (July 6) with local media Efren Alcantara and Daisy Medina.
"Walang favoritism. Pagkain, vitamins at iba't-ibang uri ng gamot, kaya nanatili sila sa kani-kanilang mga tahanan. Hindi na nagpakalat-kalat sa mga lansangan, kaya hindi sila nakapitan ng coronavirus disease (There is no favoritism. Food, vitamins and other kinds of medicine, that's why they remain in their homes. They are not out roaming the streets, that's why they are not contracting coronavirus disease)," she added.
Flores said they distribute the complete relief goods door-to-door weekly, and explained that if people are full and have all basic necessities including food and medicines, they don't have a reason to go out and break quarantine using reasons such as family hunger, as have many arrested quarantine violators.
Classes partially face-to-face
As for the opening of classes next month, Flores said they discussed with parents that classes are to be held every Tuesday and Thursday, with students to practice social distancing by wearing face masks. Learning modules will also be personally delivered by teachers.
Flores said all the needs of public school students in DRT are ready for distribution, including bags and notebooks. The financial assistance through a scholarship program is also prepared and ready for distribution at the end of July or in the first week of August.
The financial assistance for students in grade 7 to senior high school is P5,000 a year, while college students are to receive P8,000 or P10,000 per semester depending on their grades. Kindergarten to grade six pupils will receive ten kilos of rice every month instead of cash.
Senior citizens
Meanwhile, the town's senior citizen social pensioners aged 60 to 69 receive P1,000 and ten kilos of rice monthly, while those aged 70 and above receive the same, half from the national government and half from the municipal government.
Livelihood program
Flores has also instituted a livelihood program with many women participants who have started their own small businesses such as hog and poultry raising, sari-sari stores, vegetable farming, and rag making.
"Our major industries are farming, livestock raising, and marble; our major industries are fruits and vegetables, and this place is the largest Class-A municipality in the province of Bulacan," the mayor added.