Silliman University has assured the public that they are constantly monitoring the health of 24 Chinese graduate students who arrived Jan. 18 in Dumaguete.
Dr. Earl Jude Cleope, vice president for academic affairs, said the Chinese students are not all from Wuhan, and will be in Dumaguete for six weeks as part of the Chinese Executive Course.
Cleope said the students had their laboratory examinations and x-ray taken one day after their arrival, and they also went on Jan. 28 to the Bureau of Quarantine in Cebu for check-up.
Upon their return from Cebu, they had another check-up at the Marina Clinic in Dauin, some 17 kilometers south of Dumaguete.
Cleope said there is no need to quarantine the students for 14 days according to a protocol of the Department of Health because they arrived before the protocol was announced, and that they had already been examined by the Bureau of Quarantine.
SU President Dr. Betty Cernol-McCann said while they are not exhibiting any untoward symptoms, they will still be subjected to weekly tests.
The students from China are now billeted at Davao Cottage and at Occidental Hall in campus.
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Earlier, not a few teachers were asking the administration to explain to the public how they are dealing with the situation, and how they are ensuring the health and safety of the students and the personnel.
Meanwhile, a hotel and restaurant operator in Dumaguete said they no longer have Chinese guests in their hotel as they either have cancelled their bookings or have already checked out, some even earlier than their scheduled departure.
Chef Gabby del Prado, also vice president of the Negros Oriental Hotel, Restaurant Resorts Association, said they are constantly disinfecting doorknobs and hallways.
But he lamented the discrimination being displayed by Filipinos against Chinese-looking customers.
He said that when Chinese guests dine in, some Filipino customers walk out or change tables. “It’s very discriminatory but we cannot help it,” he said. (Irma Faith Pal)
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