MANILA City administrator Felix Espiritu said operations at the Manila City Hall remain normal, assuring that he and secretary to the mayor Bernie Ang are making sure that all of Mayor Isko Moreno’s orders regarding all forms of assistance for the residents during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) are followed to the letter.

Espiritu said all departments, bureaus and offices in the city government are carrying out their designated functions as usual and without any interruption or delay, specially the cash aid distribution and mass vaccination.

For his part, Ang said Moreno is monitoring the daily activities and that the city officials and employes need not be told what to do as they have been showing utmost dedication and efficiency during the entire period of the pandemic. In the temporary absence of the mayor and the vice mayor, they continue working beyond the call of duty.

Manila social welfare department chief Re Fugoso reported that 51.72 percent of the 380,000 families in the city have already received their SAP aid of P4,000 each.

She added that their daycare and social workers have been working until the wee hours of the morning to finish the cash distribution as soon as possible, on orders of Moreno.

Fugoso also expressed confidence that the city government will be able to meet the 15-day deadline given by the national government for the distribution of the financial aid from the national government under the social amelioration program.

For his part, Dr. Poks Pangan, chief of the Manila Health Department, assured that the mass vaccinations continue as scheduled.

Meanwhile, Mayor Isko Moreno is more active and had been resting well.

Thus said Sta. Ana Hospital Director Dr. Grace Padilla, as she issued an update on Day 3 on the mayor and Day 2 of hospital stay, since he tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. Both Moreno and Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna are under her care at the said hospital where they are confined.

Padilla said Moreno has no fever and has stable vital signs, although he still has some body pains with occasional dry cough which, Padilla said, is really how the infection presents itself after contracting it.

“Mas better na siya than before. He has no need for oxygen support and is more active today. He rested well,” Padilla reported.

In the case of Lacuna, Padilla said that she may go home on Thursday morning. It was learned that the treatment for Lacuna was more aggressive as she had pneumonia.

On Day 13, Lacuna showed stable vital signs, no contraptions and even good appetite. Lacuna tested positive on August 8.