The province’s emergency response arm TaRSIER 117 has partially taken over the operations of the Tagbilaran City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) which was placed on lockdown after several of its personnel tested positive for COVID-19.

Provincial DDRMO chief Anthony Damalerio on Tuesday said that the TaRSIER 117 started to handle the emergency response operations of the city on Saturday last week.

“Kita na ang ni-handle sa ilang emergency response gamit ang atong mga ambulances ug team sa TaRSIER 117,” he said.

The CDRRMO was placed on lockdown on Friday last week after 14 of its personnel were found out to be positive for the respiratory disease.

According to Damalerio, some of those infected were CDRRMO medics who had to go on quarantine, while some members of the office’s communications team still reported for work.

“Og ang city makadawat og tawag, ilang ibato diri sa TaRSIER para kita ang mo respond,” he said.

The setup will remain indefinitely pending results of the retesting of the COVID-stricken CDRRMO personnel.

Damalerio said that responding to emergencies in the entire city significantly increased the TaRSIER 117’s coverage but noted that they can manage the added workload.

“Ang [Tagbilaran] usa g’yud pud na sa daghan og emergency response needs pero kaya pa man pud sa atong team, unya ning suporta lang pud ta sa atong mga kauban sa CDRRMO,” he said.

There has been a sudden surge of active COVID-19 cases in Tagbilaran City with a total of 134 ongoing infections recorded as of Tuesday night.

Many of those affected were vital offices in the city including the Tagbilaran City Police Station, City Traffic Management Office and the CDRRMO, which have all been placed on lockdown. (R. Tutas)