MMDA, DOE head offices placed under lockdown due to virus-hit employees

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 8) – The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) announced on Tuesday they have placed their respective head offices under lockdown as some of their employees tested positive of COVID-19.

In a statement, the MMDA said four of their personnel yielded positive results after a massive rapid testing and confirmatory swab tests.

“Upon the recommendation of the MMDA COVID-19 Committee, we have decided to suspend the operations at all our offices for sanitation and disinfection to protect not only our personnel but also the transacting public against the virus,” said MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim.

Due to this, work in the MMDA main headquarters in Makati City will be suspended from July 9 to 10 for the complete sanitation and disinfection of the area. The disinfection procedures of the office premises will last until July 12.

“We assure the public that our offices will resume operations as soon as we have completed the sanitation and disinfection of our all offices by Monday,” Lim added.

The MMDA also built a 800-sqm isolation facility in their parking area to accommodate employees with exposure to infected persons. The area was divided into two, one for suspects and the other for probable cases.

Meanwhile, the Energy Department also issued a statement announcing the full lockdown of the DOE Compound in Taguig City starting today until July 10. The full lockdown covers the DOE Main Building and Annex, Gymnasium, Motorpool, and Multi-Purpose Building.

The DOE said three of their employees were found positive of COVID-19 and several workers are under monitoring while on quarantine.

The DOE offices located at PNOC Building 5, such as the Oil Industry Management Bureau, the Renewable Energy Management Bureau, the Office of the Secretary, and some executive offices will operate with a minimum skeleton force.

“We are taking this as an added precaution to ensure the safety of both our personnel and guests,” the Energy Department said in an advisory.

Last week, the central offices of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority and the Civil Aeronautics Board were placed under lockdown due to their employees who contracted COVID-19.

While last month, several government agencies also closed their head offices due to workers afflicted with COVID-19. These were the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Securities and Exchange Commission, Makati Regional and Metropolitan Trial Courts, and Taguig City Hall of Justice.