The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will be reopening some of its offices in its national headquarters which were shut down after some of its personnel tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
PCG spokesperson CG Commodore Armando A. Balilo said Sunday, Jan. 16, that offices that were closed last week will be opened since officers and personnel have already recovered from the virus infection.
“We’ll be opening (Monday) the offices that we temporarily closed last week following reports of COVID-19 positive in some National Headquarters departments of the Coast Guard,” said Balilo when contacted by Manila Bulletin.
“Many of our officers and personnel have already recovered and so far there are no new cases,” he added.
From as high as 133 positive cases of COVID-19 at the PCG National Headquarters on Saturday, Jan. 15, the number has been reduced to about 30.
The leadership of the PCG was forced to temporarily close several more of its department offices, including the Public Affairs, Finance Service, and the Office of the Deputy Chief of Coast Guard Staff for Comptrollership or CG-6.
The other offices that were temporarily locked down were the Internal Audit, the Provost Marshal, the Commission on Audit, the Office of the Command Master Chief Petty Officer, and the Legal Service.
Even with the health crisis, the PCG continues with its relief operations in the provinces for families affected by typhoon Odette last month.
Last Saturday, Coast Guard personnel of the BRP Malabrigo (MRRV-4402) unloaded 15.3 tons of relief goods and essential supplies for people at San Fernando Wharf in El Nido, Palawan. The operation was part of the ongoing relief transport missions of the PCG, through the Task Force Kalinga, to support the recovery and rehabilitation of typhoon-stricken provinces in MiMaRoPa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and Caraga.
In Dinagat Island, PCG’s BRP Cape San Agustin (MRRV-4408) conducted a medical evacuation for three ailing residents.