The City of Mati is now ready for the new normal once the Modified General Community Quarantine ends on June 15.
This was the declaration made by Mati Incident Management Team head Dr. Ben Hur Catbagan Jr. during the ManCom meeting held at the City Hall of Mati on Wednesday, June 10.
Catbagan said that with the MGCQ ending on June 15, the City of Mati can now accept tourists and visitors once again provided the minimum health standard is strictly observed.
He said that the health safety and security system of Mati against Covid-19 is already in place down to the grassroots level. Thus, Catbagan said, he is confident that the city could well cope with the expected influx of visitors.
Catbagan however cautioned visitors to expect strict implementation of the multi-level health screenings from the borders down to the barangays and puroks once they enter the city.
Anytime soon, an ordinance called the Public Health Emergency Standards of the City of Mati would be created and passed that will make city better equipped and more prepared for any pandemic.
The proposed ordinance will provide budget for the purchase of equipment needed for any health emergencies, the permanent creation of the border quarantine checkpoints, among others.
With the ushering of the new normal, City of Mati Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat hopes that the city would be back on its feet anytime soon most especially the tourism industry that is one of the most affected sector by the pandemic.
Tourism Officer Dashiel Indelible Jr. estimated around P100 million loss of income from the local tourism sector because of the quarantine lockdown the past months.
The City of Mati LGU is meanwhile preparing the launch of its P20 million stimulus package loan for small and medium economic enterprises which will be zero percent interest.
It was learned that the stimulus package plan hit a snag after banks, both local and national, could not accommodate the stimulus package under their portfolio due to the fact that said loan is without interest.
The City of Mati LGU initially wanted the stimulus package loan to be handled by the bank so as to compel the borrowers to pay their loan on time due to the bank’s strict guidelines.
Mayor Michelle said they have recently asked the Commission on Audit if the LGU could instead tap credit cooperatives in the city for the stimulus package loan.
She said that if COA would not approve their plan, then the LGU has no other choice but to handle the loan package on their own and launch it on June 19 in time for the 13th Mati Citihood Day and the 17th Pujada Bay Festival. (CIO MATI)