Laoag Masonic Lodge ties up with DOH in Covid-19 Info Drive

By VW Ismael A. Toquero Masonic District R2

In an effort to help the local government curb the rising cases of Covid-19 in Laoag, Brethren of the Craft together with the Department of Health team up together to launch a piece of city-wide information dissemination campaign as a preventative measure to battle the virus that has been spreading in the country for more than a year now.

Two months ago, the city of Laoag and the municipality of Pagudpud were placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) status by Executive Order No. 145-21 by Ilocos Norte Mayor Marcos Manotoc. Data from the Department of Health shows that as of July 31, Ilocos Norte has recorded a total of 8,155 cases of Covid-19, including 3, 170 active cases, 4,861 recoveries, and 124 deaths. Currently, the city of Laoag has the greatest number of active cases with 1,018.

The information dissemination tarpaulins and donation of 20 Oximeter and 4 Blood Pressure Devices were held at the Northern Christian College (NCC), a Protestant school owned by the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) last September 10, 2021. Dr. Fanny Domingo, head of the DOH, and Brethren from Laoag Masonic Lodge participated in the said event.

The Department of Health emphasized the importance of information dissemination drive in Ilocos Norte and Laoag in particular where cases of COVID-19 are still rising.

Sars-Cov2 Virus also known as COVID-19 deadly contagion has left the world struggling for economic survival, forcing economies to succumbed to global collapse and left people jobless because of preventative measures such as militarist lockdowns and longer community quarantine implementation.

Today, living under the pandemic condition seems to be the ‘new normal’ as the country races to vaccinate the people to prevent further spread of the more transmissible virus known as the ‘Delta Variant.’ Under these circumstances, Brother Masons will continue to do works of Charity amid the Pandemic. We are obliged to help our fellow human beings by doing acts of Charity which is one of the foundations of a true mason.