ILOILO – Wary of further transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the municipal government of Estancia, Iloilo imposed border restrictions.
Mayor Melina Requinto’s Executive Order (EO) No. 040, Series of 2020 took effect on Aug. 11. It enforces strict border control, restriction on the movement of people and internal security within the municipality.
“There is a need to extend necessary protective measures because of the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the municipality and in the province of Iloilo,” read part of Requinto’s EO.
As of Aug. 10, Estancia has eight confirmed COVID-19 cases.
They were the following:
* 31-year-old female from Barangay Tabuan (Patient No. 259), OFW
* 22-year-old male from Barangay Bulaqueña (Patient No. 1101), LSI
* 56-year-old male from Barangay Bayuyan (Patient No. 1307), LSI
* 33-year-old male from Barangay Bayuyan (Patient No. 1335)
* 63-year-old male from Barangay Botongon (Patient No. 1992)
* 28-year-old female from Barangay Botongon (Patient No. 2053)
* 7-year-old female from Barangay Botongon (Patient No. 2054)
* 54-year-old female from Barangay Botongon (Patient No. 2052)
According to Requinto, exempted from the travel restrictions were officials, workers and personnel of establishments, industries or sectors located in Estancia authorized to operate or render services during modified general community quarantine based on their work schedule.
These persons shall present to the accosting peace officer their government/company/ facility identification card or any certifications, proof of their time of work and employment.
Requinto also ordered the following measures until Aug. 31:
* Barangay identification shall be used in accessing essential supplies during this MGCQ but shall not be transferred to the members of the family who do not belong to any of the following groups:
1. 0-20 years old (main transmitter)
2. Senior citizen (60 years old and above)
3. Those with high risk health conditions (immune compromised with comorbidity)
4. Barangay Market Scheduling/color coding shall strictly be followed.
* All barangay border checkpoints will be set up at their respective barangay borders with their main task is inspection of Barangay ID and work documents of authorized persons outside residence. However, the Municipal Inter Agency Task Force Monitoring Team will continue the monitoring activities in the 25 barangays of the municipality
* The municipality shall maintain four main layers of checkpoints to regulate and limit movements within the municipal border control checkpoints: Barangay Villa Pani-an Border; Estancia Feeder Port; Barangay Lumbia Border; and Philippine Port Authority-Estancia in Barangay Botongon./PN
