Walang nilabag na health protocol si Arjo Atayde na nag-positibo sa COVID-19. Ito ay base sa paliwanag ng attending physician niyang si Dr. Claudette Guzman Mangahas, taliwas sa naunang pahayag ni Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong sa Regional News Group-Luzon nitong Agosto 17.
Matatandaang binanggit pa ni Mayor Magalong na umalis si Arjo at iniwan ang mga kasama nitong aktor na nagpositibo rin sa COVID-19.
Ayon sa panayam kay Dra. Mangahas, walang nahawaan ang aktor dahil nga iniwas na niya agad ang sarili.
“In the same way that emergency care personnel in an ambulance would accompany a COVID patient in PPE (personal protective equipment), I was also very clear with my instructions – and which they carefully followed – to have Arjo in the back of the car alone, his companions in front of the car, with all of them wearing masks with no removal and all the windows open, driving strictly from Baguio straight to our hospital.
“It is impossible for any doctor of any COVID patient to go ahead with decisions without considering the family because this really imposes a traumatic situation on everyone.
“”On a personal note, Sylvia (Sanchez) and Art Atayde (mga magulang ni Arjo) both had COVID last March 2020, and Sylvia even suffered from complications of the medications,” paliwanag ng doctor ng aktor.
Nasambit pa na nakaramdam noon ng heart block si Sylvia, bagay na nagdelikado ang buhay niya.
Dagdag pa, “COVID was a real scare for them, especially with the thought of leaving behind four children with their youngest only at 10 years old at that time if one of them didn’t survive the virus.
“By then, Arjo was already experiencing difficulty in breathing besides fever and body malaise.
“I talked to Sylvia and told her she had two options: the first was a work up and possible admission at a Baguio hospital or a transfer to Manila for work up and possible admission, with the provisions I indicated earlier.
“She chose the second one because of his preexisting conditions of chronic sinusitis and asthma and her fear that should Arjo become critical, he is so far away and she wouldn’t personally know the physician who will treat him.
“Please understand that (Sylvia) only acted as a mother in her decision. Having suffered from COVID themselves, they are the last persons who would wish that others will go through the same experience. So clearly, there was no intention to breach any protocol, and more so, expose others to COVID.”
Naniniwala rin si Dra. Mangahas na kung hindi kilala si Arjo ay tiyak na walang kukuwestiyon sa naging deisyon ng pamilyang pauwiin ito ng Maynila.
“We had a patient recently flown in from Laoag to receive treatment here and there were no allegations regarding breach of protocols,” diin ng attending physician ni Arjo.
Samantala, si Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Chairperson Liza Dino bilang head at responsible sa policies and programs concerning movie at audiovisual industry ang naging tulay para magkaroon ng pag-uusap sa pagitan nina Mayor Magalong at ng Feelmaking Production Head Ellen Criste at magkaroon ng linaw na walang nilabag na health protocols ang production habang nagso-shooting sila sa Baguio City hanggang sa bumalik ng Maynila si Arjo dahil nagpositibo nga ito sa COVID-19.
Lapse of communication ang nakitang dahilan kung bakit lumaki ang isyung ito.
At habang sinusulat namin ang balitang ito ay nagpadala kami ng mensahe kay Ms. Liza kung puwedeng bumalik ang grupo ni Arjo para tapusin ang pelikula.
“Yes, ok na. If they want to finish the film, he (Mayor Magalong) will allow,” sagot sa amin.
Kinakailangan lang dumaan sa RT-PCR test ang buong team para safe makaikot ang lahat para sa natitirang araw ng shoot.
Nalaman din namin na personal daw iwe-welcome ni Mayor Magalong ang buong team dahil nagkaayos na on both sides.