ILOILO City – The island province of Guimaras remains under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) starting today until Sept. 15.
“Executive Order (EO) Number 63 (issued by Gov. Samuel Gumarin) will still be imposed kay wala man gihapon changes sa quarantine classification,” Vice Gov. John Edward Gando told Panay News.
The provincial government, however, will amend the directive if they see a valid reason to do so, he added.
According to Gando, the provincial government will only relax its quarantine measures if the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases decrease.
“Kung ma-control na ang cases of COVID-19 diri, then it’s possible to extend the closing time of business establishments from 6 p.m. to 7 or 8 p.m. We will also change the policies in transportation,” Gando pointed out.
Gumarin, meanwhile, ordered the following measures under his EO:
* Border containment
1.) under enhanced Level 2 Response, only Jordan wharf, Buenavista wharf and Ro-Ro wharf (also in Jordan) are the entry points to Guimaras
2.) Sebaste wharf in Sibunag shall be limited to outbound delivery of local produce while Puyo wharf in Nueva Valencia and Tacay wharf in Buenavista shall be used only for delivery of incoming construction materials with prior permission from the governor.
Travel regulations
1.) returning residents who had the occasion to enter the province beginning Aug. 1 and do not show symptoms referable to COVID-19 shall be allowed entry, provided that will comply with the prescribed mandatory quarantine regulations.
2.) residents who have not returned to the province prior to Aug. 1 shall be subjected to the mandatory 14-day mandatory home quarantine unless he/she has a recent negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. For this purpose, a recent test is understood to have been taken not later than three days upon entry
3.) non-residents shall only be allowed entry if the purpose of travel is to transport basic commodities and necessities such as but not limited to petroleum products, medicines and medical supplies, food, food products and beverages, essential domestic implements/household and personal hygiene products, construction materials, agricultural and fishery products and supplies
4.) non-residents shall likewise be allowed entry to the province if the purpose of travel is for emergency cases that may result to loss of life, liberty or property
5.) those who work or render services in the province shall be allowed to enter, provided that in all cases he/she is not a suspect, probable or confirmed COVID-19 case. In addition, a negative rapid diagnostic test (RDT) shall be required from the following:
a. those who would stay in the island province for a minimum of two days
b. those who visit the province thrice a week
6.) residents shall only be allowed to go to Iloilo City in the case of medical referrals and emergency cases that may result to loss of life, liberty or property
7.) those who work or render services outside the province, including those who transport goods/local produce, shall be allowed to travel
8.) those who have travel outside Guimaras three times a week, however, shall be required a negative RDT result on a weekly basis before as a requirement for his/ her re-entry.
9.) residents who have stayed outside the province for more than two days shall be subjected to the mandatory 14-day home quarantine upon return.
10.) only those who can comply with the requirements shall be issued an outbound pass and be allowed re-entry
11.) no resident shall be allowed to travel if he/she is a suspect, probable or confirmed COVID-19 case
12.) only non-residents with inbound pass shall be allowed to leave Guimaras.
13.) non-residents who are in the province before the implementation of the inbound pass policy shall secure such form from the office of the Municipal Mayor in order to be granted exit.
* Community containment
1.) trips of roll on, roll off vessels plying the Guimaras-Iloilo route and vice versa shall be from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. only while motorbancas shall be allowed to operate from sunrise to sunset.
2.) business hours for establishments shall be from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. except for health facilities and funeral parlors.
3.) public markets may open before 6 a.m.
4.) operation of public transport shall be allowed from 4 a.m. until 8 p.m.
Based on the Aug. 30 data of the province, Guimaras has 92 confirmed COVID-19 cases – 44 of which were active.
Buenavista recorded 22 of these cases; Jordan, 10; Sibunag, six; Nueva Valencia, five; and San Lorenzo; one./PN
