MANILA—Putting yellow ribbons on houses with COVID-19 cases in Pateros is voluntary, Mayor Miguel Ponce II said Monday.
"Kami ay walang ordinansa. Wala hong executive order inissue para i-implement ito at may parusa 'yung hindi papayag, wala. Ito ay purely voluntary," he told Teleradyo.
(We don't have an ordinance. We didn't issue an executive order to implement this and punished those who will defy it. This is purely voluntary.)
Ponce ordered the tagging policy last week to ensure the monitoring of residents infected with coronavirus.
"Lalagyan kayo kung kayo'y payag lamang. 'Pag hindi kayo payag, wala tayong problema," he said.
(We would put [ribbons] only if you would agree. If not, there's no problem.)
Ponce said the policy would also fast-track the provision of food packs to affected families.
Getting COVID-19 is no longer something to be ashamed of, he stressed.
"Kung last year nahihiya tayo, ngayon hindi na natin ito ikinahihiya," he added.
(If last year we are ashamed of it, right now not anymore.)
Ponce said even his house was locked down after members of his family caught the virus.
As of Sept. 18, Pateros has recorded 6,920 COVID-19 cases, of which 88 have died from the illness. The town currently has 579 active cases of coronavirus.
Teleradyo, Pateros, Miguel Ponce II, yellow tag, yellow marking, yellow ribbons, COVID-19, COVID19, coronavirus, Pateros COVID-19 update