The part of the municipal cemetery in Kalibo, Aklan, is being made a temporary burial ground for the patients who died in COVID-19 while they are still looking for other places to bury them.
According to Kalibo Mayor Emerson Lachica, they have problems with the crematorium they use to properly dispose of the corpses of COVID patients, especially since the average number of coronavirus deaths is 2 to 3.
“Yung aming municipal cemetery yun ang ginagamit naming temporary burial ground,” said Lachica.
(Our municipal cemetery is the temporary burial ground we use.)
In an interview with TeleRadyo Wednesday morning, Lachica said that Kalibo is the “battleground of COVID cases,” especially as a capital town, where hospitals and other commercial establishments such as malls are located.
“Naghahanap pa kami ng panibagong lupa na malayo sa thickly populated area at saka nagkausap kami ni governor namin na kung pwede parang sa isang probinsiya merong libingan doon somewhere sa mataas na lugar, bulubundukin ng dalawang bayan ng Madalag o Libacao,” he said.
Kalibo crematorium already full due to COVID-19 deaths
(We were still looking for new land far from the thickly populated area, and then we talked to our governor that if possible in a province, there is a grave there somewhere in a high place, mountainous in the two towns of Madalag or Libacao.)
Reports also said some patients hit by COVID-19 waiting to be admitted already dying while in an ambulance in Kalibo, Aklan.
“Tina-try po namin habulin ‘yong buhay ng pasyente namin. Eh due to pila nga po sa hospital, ang daming pasyente, ‘yong kalimitan nangyayari po sa ambulansya na lang halos namamatay ang pasyente,” said Jeremie Fernandez, first responder of Kalimo Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
Aklan was placed under modified enhanced community quarantine from August 1 to 15 due to the increase in COVID-19 cases in the area. Towns like Aklan have also imposed additional restrictions such as barangay and municipal border checkpoints.
Surgical lockdown is also being implemented in some areas in Kalibo to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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