ROXAS City – Residents of Capiz vulnerable to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are not allowed to go out of their homes and roam around.
Gov. Esteban Evan Contreras on Oct. 22 issued Executive Order (EO) 20-G amending previous orders establishing policies in the province while under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).
Under the new order, the province is imposing a 24-hour special curfew on the following:
* persons older than 65 years old
* persons younger than 15 years old
* pregnant women
* persons with weak or compromised immune systems and those with pre-existing medical conditions that make them susceptible to infection such as diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease, and other respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
However, punong barangays may issue a special quarantine pass to those below 15 years old and above 65 years old and allow them outside of their residences if:
* there are no persons between 15 to 65 years old in the household
* they are employed as essential workers
* they do not have compromised immune systems
Previously, those below 21 years old and above 60 years old were subjected to 24/7 curfew.
Meanwhile, the current curfew time for the general public except for authorized persons is from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.
In Roxas City, however, the curfew hours are from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Consumption of liquor in public is also prohibited under the EO.
Indoor and outdoor non-contact sports and exercises are allowed provided that minimum public health standards are followed.
Also, public and private gatherings as well as religious gatherings are allowed provided that participants comply with the minimum health standards and the venue is only limited to 50 percent of its capacity.
Cockfighting is also allowed but only for a maximum of 30 percent of the venue’s capacity.
Also among others, Contreras’ EO also allows malls, commercial centers and the like to open and operate but also subject to various conditions or minimum public health protocols (wearing of facemask and face shield, hand washing, physical distancing)./PN
