By Jhon Aldrin Casinas

Renters in Mandaluyong City will also receive food bags from the local government during the period of the enhanced community quarantine, Mayor Carmelita Abalos said.

“Gagawin po namin ngayon, since alam na namin ang figures, mabibigyan na po kayo. Pipilitin ko hanggang bukas, mabibigyan na rin po lahat ang renters ng Mandaluyong (We already know the figures, so you will also be given food bags. I will ensure that all renters of Mandaluyong will also be given grocery bags),” Abalos said in a video message Friday night, March 27. “Wala po kaming sinisino. Wala po kaming sinabi kung botante kayo o hindi. Basta nasa Mandaluyong kayo mabibigyan kayo dapat ng grocery (We don’t choose who will be given. We were not asking if you are a voter or not. As long as you are a resident of Mandaluyong, you should be given groceries).”

Due to its proximity to business districts in Metro Manila, people chose to rent apartments or stay at boarding houses in Mandaluyong.

To aid its residents affected by the quarantine, the city government will be distributing 100,000 grocery bags with rice, canned goods, sugar, coffee, among others.

Aside from the usual canned goods and rice, the city government has also distributed fresh vegetables to its residents to give them the appropriate nutrients to stay healthy amid the health crisis in the country.

The grocery bags will be distributed door-to-door and will be given on a weekly basis during the quarantine period.

Abalos said the city government has already released 45,000 grocery bags to barangays in the city, noting that their ongoing distribution of food bags is only the “first wave.”

“Out of 27 barangays, 19 ang nabigyan na nating barangay (we have already distributed grocery bags to 19 barangays),” she said.

Abalos explained that they have already given grocery bags to at least half of the population of Barangay Addition Hills.

“Meron pa po tayong pitong barangay na hindi nabibigyan (We still have seven barangays that still have to be given),” she said. “Hangga’t hindi natatapos ang krisis na ‘to, tuloy-tuloy po ang pagbibigay namin ng grocery sa inyong lahat (As long as this crisis continues, we will also continue our distribution of groceries).”

As of 7 p.m. of March 27, there were 35 confirmed cases of COVID-29 in Mandaluyong, with 117 persons under investigation (PUIs) and 409 persons under monitoring (PUMs).

Most of the cases were recorded in barangays Highway Hills (8) and Additions Hills (6).

Based on its latest tally, the city government recorded two COVID-19 deaths, and four PUI deaths.

“Ang hirap po ng nangyayari sa atin. Lahat po ginagawa namin para ‘wag na po talaga dumami pa ito (What’s happening to us now is difficult. We are doing everything we can to prevent the increase of cases in the city),” she said. “Pero syempre kung tayo ay hindi susunod sa batas, walang mangyayari. Dadami at dadami itong ating mga kaso (But if we don’t follow the law, nothing will happen. Cases will keep on increasing).”