CARLA N. CANET
August 24, 2020

Negros Occidental Economic Consultant former 3rd District Representative Albee Benitez. (Capitol PIO photo)

AS CONFIRMED cases of coronavirus disease continue to gain ground each day, the province of Negros Occidental and its capital City of Bacolod will do catching up by subjecting around 10,000 individuals to undergo a swab mass testing from August 28 to 31, 2020.

The proponent of this mass testing was Provincial Consultant on Economic Affairs former 3rd District Representative Alfredo Abelardo "Albee" Benitez.

Benitez, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, Bacolod City Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, Councilor Renecito Novero, Board member Ryan Gamboa held a press conference on Saturday to lay down the gameplan as to how and who will undergo the mass testing.

Bacolod City will be the launching pad of this mass testing which targets 2,500 residents of the city for a day and another 2,500 residents the following day.

Benitez said that this is "one-time big-time" mass testing but it will continue city after city and town after town until such time that they can contain those who are positive for the virus.

This is just a catching up considering the increase in the local transmission but this will also give our medical sector a break.

Less to no movement of people is the target of this four-day lockdown, he said.

The details and specific guidelines will be issued by the Local Government(s) prior to the enforcement of this 4-day timeout.

In Bacolod City, the barangays started to send out information to residents regarding the "One Time Big Time" mass testing.

On the part of Barangay Granada, Bacolod City, Punong Barangay Alfredo Talimodao urged the residents to avail of the free polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, as per Department of Health guidelines.

These are four groups that can undergo the said test:

GROUP A: Close Contacts

-if you have close contact with your fellow workers, family and friends who tested positive for Covid-19.

GROUP B: Those who are immunocompromised.

GROUP C: Those who have Covid-19 symptoms such as flu, cough, fever, loss of taste and smell.

GROUP D: High-risk individuals such as senior citizens and pregnant women.