With still no end to the COVID-19 pandemic in sight, city health officials called on the people of Cagayan de Oro to continue holding the line with frontliners in the war against the coronavirus.

“The same day in last year’s flag-raising ceremony I mentioned about the COVID-19 threat, and since then, events unfolded that overtook and changed our lives. Di pa na-lift ang state of national health emergency sa atong nasud so maningkamot pa ta sa pag-protekta sa atong kaugalingon [pinaagi sa pagsubay sa minimum public health protocols],” acting City Health Officer Dr. Lorraine Nery said during Monday morning’s (January 4) flag-raising ceremony.

(The state of national health emergency in our country has yet to be lifted, so we should still strive to protect ourselves through compliance to minimum health protocols).

In thanking the City Health Office (CHO) and the entire City Hall bureaucracy, Dr. Neri cited a quote from the late American poet Maya Angelo who said, “there is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” 

“All of us have stories to tell about how we survived the pandemic, and we need to share (to the world) about the heroism of our frontliners, our volunteers in the barangays, the CHO and City Hall bureaucracy in Cagayan de Oro City’s fight against the pandemic,” Dr. Nery added.

For her part Councilor Maria Lourdes Gaane, who chairs the 19th City Council’s health committee, also thanked the people of Cagayan de Oro City and the entire City Hall bureaucracy for each doing their part in protecting themselves from COVID-19. She also called on everyone to strive better this year after surviving the pandemic last year.

“Ang sakrispiyo og paningkamot sa matag usa sa ato especially sa atong frontliners di mabayran sa sapi (Our sacrifices and efforts especially those by the frontliners cannot be paid by wealth). This pandemic is an eye-opener on why ww still need to improve the public health system and with the coming of the vaccines, we hope to see its end soon,” Councilor Gaane said. (Stephen Capillas/City Information Office)