SAN JOSE, Antique – Business establishments, government offices and schools in this province are required to set up handwashing stations for their clients following the ordinance passed by the provincial board.
“I sponsored the ordinance considering that handwashing is one of the best preventions against the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019,” Provincial Board member Noel Alamis said last week.
The “Ordinance Requiring All Private Commercial and Government Establishments in the Province of Antique to Provide and Designate Area for Hand Washing Facilities for their Customers, Providing Mechanisms for its Enforcement and Determining Penalties for Non-Compliance” was co-sponsored by board members Dr. Mayella Mae Plameras Ladislao and Alfie Jay Niquia. It was passed last June 25 and is expected to take effect 60 days after its publication.
Meanwhile, owners of commercial establishments, heads of government offices and school principals must also see to it that the ordinance is implemented.
“Non-compliance (with) the ordinance will have commensurate fines,” Alamis said, adding that there will be a warning for the first offense, a fine of P1,000 for the second offense and P2,500 for the third offense.
A monitoring and evaluation task force will be created to check the implementation of the ordinance at the provincial level.
“Governor Rhodora Cadiao will head the monitoring and evaluation task force at the provincial level with the Integrated Provincial Health Office as co-chairperson and the Provincial Planning and Development Office as secretariat,” said Alamis.
The members of the task force will be the following: Provincial board chair of the committee on trade, commerce and industry; Department of Trade and Industry provincial director, the head of the Provincial Economic Enterprise Development Office; Philippine National Police provincial director, Department of Education superintendent, and Antique Chamber of Commerce and Industry president. (With a report from PNA/PN)
