Lack of discipline among the public is the main culprit behind the surging number of COVID-19 cases in Bohol, said Liga ng mga Barangay (LMB) Bohol chapter president Romulo Cepedoza on Monday in response to accusations that barangay officials have been lax in enforcing health safety protocols.
“Bisan pa og unsaon sa mga barangay officials og paningkamot kung ang mga taw wa gyuy disiplina, dili gyud tigali mo lampos kay pila ra man ang mga barangay officials kumparar sa mga taw sa atong barangay,” said Cepedoza, in an interview over station dyRD’s “Inyong Alagad” program.
According to Cepedoza, even if barangay officials conducted rounds and reprimanded health safety violators, errant residents continued to flout health safety protocols once authorities were no longer around.
“Inig lakaw sa mga official, inig lakaw sa mga police, balik g’yud na sila sa ilang naandan, wa g’yud disiplina,” he said.
However, Cepedoza noted that not all residents have been defiant.
He said that most of those caught breaking health protocols, particularly in his hometown of Danao, are the youth.
“Di g’yud nato ikalikay ning mga tapok-tapok labina sa mga batan-on, in fact mga tulo na ka tindahan sa among barangay akong gipasirad-an kay nasakpan na nagpainom og mga bino,” he said.
“Labina ni ng mga batan-on na bisag asa lang mangita og signal anang ilang mga cellphone,” he added.
Cepedoza, who is also an ex-officio Provincial Board member representing the LMB in the provincial legislature, lamented that barangay officials are being blamed for the rising number of COVID-19 cases despite their efforts to go after health safety violators.
“Bisan unsaon namong mga barangay og paningkamot, kamiy kanunay hagbungan kay wa kunoy mga gipanghimo, maka discourage, kay ang mga taw may wa gyuy disiplina,” he said.
As of Monday afternoon, the number of active COVID-19 cases in Bohol was at 1,217 based on data from the Bohol Inter-Agency Task Force.
Some 1,207 of the cases were identified as locally transmitted infections.
On Monday last week, June 7, the tally of active COVID-19 cases was still at 838. (R. Tutas)