DAVAO CITY - The office of the First Congressional District Representative Paolo "Pulong" Duterte distributed relief goods to the locked-down areas in Barangay 34-D of this city on July 22, Thursday afternoon.

The effort is in response to the barangay's urgent request following the City Government's recent declaration of a 14-day lockdown due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in some puroks in 34-D.

Barangay 34-D chieftain Erlan Guevara said in an interview that about 106 households are affected in the area. He added that 32 families from Purok 3 and 14 individuals from Purok 2 were said to be affected by the virus.

“Ginabantayan man na dira pag-ayo. Galing lang gamay kaayo ang dalan dira, igo-igo gyud mag-abot ang mga mangagi. Kadtong mga na positive gisundo na sila for isolation, the rest close contacts sa balay lang,” Guevara said.

(We are regularly monitoring the area. However, the route going inside and out is enough for passersby to encounter one another. Those who tested positive were brought to the facility while their families stayed in their houses.)

The barangay shares a common border with six other barangays located downtown of the city. Its population based on the 2015 Census was 1,682. The age group with the highest integer is 20 to 24, while the lowest is 80 and above.

Rep. Duterte’s office distributed more than 100 family food packs, with 10 kilos of rice and canned goods, to families and individuals at Purok 2 and Purok 3. Among the affected are barangay patrol, guard, and delivery man.

"Nagsugod lang jud sa silingan nga giubo og sipon mao na lockdown ang among area diri karon. Lisod kay ang among balayronun paabotay na unya wala mi income sulod sa katorse ka adlaw tungod naka-quarantine mi," Jenna Fe Yungot, a barangay police, said.

(It all started from the neighborhood who have coughs and colds the reason the area has been locked-down. Now, it is difficult for us to pay our bills since we cannot work for 14 days that we are in quarantined.)

Her husband Heraldo Yungot Jr., an electrician, said that they understand the health protocols of the government to ensure the safety of everyone. He is just hoping that the government will lift the lockdown sooner, not until 14 days, for them to get back to work.

Guevara expressed his gratitude to the First Congressional District Office, especially to Rep. Duterte, for the immediate response to their request. He said that these relief goods are a big help to families and individuals quarantined for 14 days.

The young congressman’s staff and Guevara opted to personally deliver the relief goods to the respective purok leaders to delegate the job and have the work done. The recipients expressed their gratitude after receiving the relief goods.