BACOLOD City – Public movement will be restricted further here as the city starts today enforcing enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) until April 14.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia announced the measure through Executive Order No. 26 on Friday, saying this is part of the preventive measure of the city government to curb the further spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This city has five patients infected with the viral disease as of March 29.
Under the ECQ, the city’s 61 barangays shall issue one home quarantine pass (HQP) to a member of a family of competent age and discretion for each household.
The HQP shall serve as access to the basic needs of the household in purchasing or obtaining the provision for food, health, and other essential commodities, Leonardia said.
Leonardia reiterated the HQP is not for sale. It will not be transferable and the possessor of such shall carry it at all times while outside the household, with a valid Identification (ID) card. He said that abuse in the use of HQP shall be subject to prosecution under applicable laws.
Leonardia said that a daily 24-hour curfew shall be observed by the general public except for individuals with valid HQPs which can be used only from 4 a.m. until 10 p.m.
Any window time to the contrary is invalid. Exemption shall be made for those requiring medical assistance and for workers providing essential services.
All kinds and modes of public transportation shall be suspended except for any shuttle service that may be primarily provided for health workers and frontliners.
Each village may utilize their vehicles to service their constituents on a scheduled basis from a given point of origin to the destination. Private transportation of any kind and mode may be allowed under similar reasons, or when used in going to and coming from work at the establishments permitted to operate under the order.
Business establishments permitted to operate in the duration of the ECQ is urged to provide means of transportation to their workers convenient to the schedule and point of origin and destination while social distancing and health protocols shall be observed at all times.
Essential government services and private establishments providing essential goods shall continue to operate with a skeletal workforce and shall ensure the social distancing measures.
Work in the government office shall be limited to medical, disaster preparedness, security, social services, and financial transactions only.
Meanwhile, all businesses and private commercial establishments other than those providing essential goods and services shall be temporarily closed and shall suspend operations for the duration unless extended or shortened upon recommendation of task force.
Private establishments to remain operational are health services, food and medicine productions, sale of essential commodities at public markets, supermarkets, groceries, convenience stores, rolling stores, sari-sari stores, fruit stands, water refiling stations, take out and delivery services of restaurants, fast food chains, and other food establishments, hotels, inns, pension houses, lodging places, banking, money transfer services, pawnshops, remittance centers, public utilities, garbage collection services, street cleaning personnel, private volunteers for fire brigades and emergency service, gasoline station, funeral services, priests and ministers requested to administer last rites and sacraments, laundry shop, media outlets, shipping companies and allied services for cargo handling, forwarding, and delivery, veterinary clinics, medicine shops, agricultural shops, seaport operations for goods and cargoes, slaughterhouse, food-related products, warehouse operations, food preservation, delivery services out of town, public work projects for roads and bridges of the national and local government, legal services, medical health workers, and other establishments that may be allowed by the city./PN
