Army joins frontliners in combating deadly Covid-19 in Lanao Sur

LANAO DEL SUR – Filipino troops have joined frontliners in combating the novel coronavirus, or Covid-19, in an effort to prevent the spread of the deadly respiratory disease in Lanao del Sur province in southern Philippines.

1Lt. Charles Leiand Regala, civil-military officer of the 82^nd Infantry Battalion, said the disease has already killed 3 people after the virus plague the province last month.

“Covid-19 already took three lives and continues to inflict sufferings and worries to the remaining vulnerable and suspected patients in the province. Despite all the shortages on medical supplies and preparations, the frontliners and all stakeholders are not giving up and are doing everything to stop the spread of the virus,” he said.

According to Wired.com, when coronavirus hit the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year, it travelled fast. And by February, hospitals were filled to capacity, and the waiting list to get an ambulance stretched into the hundreds. Medical practitioners had not yet gotten a handle on what they were dealing with, so social distancing measures were not taken until it was too late. As a result, the epidemic curve, a graphic representation of the rapid spike in infections, was steep.

Photos from the 82nd Infantry Battalion released to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner show soldiers in the Covid-19 information drive and humanitarian mission in Lanao del Sur province.

Regala explained that in flattening the epidemic curve, a whole-of-nation-approach is working in Lanao del Sur. Inspired by the spirit of “Bayanihan” or community effort, he said the military and the police, including the provincial and municipal government officials banded together and made it possible to deliver some 60,683 food packs in 10 municipalities here.

He said to limit or minimize the number of people going out of the streets, the army battalion which is under the 103^rd Infantry Brigade in partnership with the World Food Program, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Bangon Marawi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform, and Ministry of Trade, Investment, and Tourism of the regional government launched rolling stores aimed at bringing basic commodities and other essential needs closer to the doorstep of the people at cheaper prices.

Soldiers also continue assisting social workers and health authorities in information drive on Covid-19 in different towns. “The suspension of mass gatherings and formations based on the communist quarantine guidelines did not stop or limit the soldiers from raising health awareness to the public,” he said, adding, together with the

12th Civil-Military Operation Battalion, the 82^nd Infantry Battalion distributed some 1,500 Covid-19 information leaflets and conducted regular health campaign in villages.

“As a result of the effective and efficient convergence of efforts of the different stakeholders, five patients have recovered from the disease and no additional Covid-19 cases were reported in recent days,” Regala said.

He urged the public to strictly follow the quarantine guidelines and maintain cleanliness and practice social distancing to avoid getting the virus. “We encourage the public to cooperate and follow the rules and policies being implemented by the authorities. This is everybody’s fight. Together we can beat Covid-19. Your 82nd Infantry Battalion and the rest of the frontliners will always be steadfast in rendering service and assistance whenever and wherever,” Regala said. (Mindanao Examiner)

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