ILOILO City – The city government is poised to enforce a curfew as an added measure to the border restriction here against the possible entry and spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Yesterday the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) approved an ordinance for this.
Called the “Expanded Social Distancing Ordinance”, it aims to “limit non-essential movement of people”.
Mayor Jerry Treñas told Panay News he may be able to sign the ordinance on Thursday and issue an executive order for its implementation.
“I will wait for the ordinance. We need implementing rules for it,” he said.
The curfew is from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. and covers all people in the city except in cases of emergency and if the sole purpose of going out is to buy food, medicines, basic necessities and prime commodities.
Exempted from the curfew are the following:
* those working in businesses with a work schedule within the curfew hours
* persons on their way home from work
* health workers
* authorized government officials
* those traveling for medical and humanitarian reasons
* persons transiting to the airport or seaport facilities
* persons providing basic services and public utilities
* persons delivering food and medicines
* essential skeletal workforce of the city and provincial government of Iloilo
* public transport services (buses, jeepneys, tricycles and the like) as determined by the Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO)
Punong barangays, barangay councils and barangay tanods are authorized to primarily implement the curfew.
Other implementers are the City Social Welfare and Development Office, police, Task Force on Good Morals, Iloilo City Peace and Order Council, and other deputized persons.
Offenders will be brought to the barangays where they reside and endorsed to the punong barangay. No penalties will be imposed.
“We are all in a difficult situation. I appeal for the understanding and cooperation of all,” said Treñas.
The city government has an existing curfew ordinance but only for minors. It is from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Western Visayas remains free from COVID-19, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
“These are extraordinary times. We have to be ready to go through extraordinary measures,” said Treñas.
The city government has set up a 24/7 command operation center at city hall (Penthouse 2). It will focus on all concerns related to COVID-19.
Treñas also announced that the city is hiring nine doctors with a monthly salary of P60,000 until December 2020 and 28 nurses with almost P20,000 monthly compensation to augment the city’s health workforce.
On March 16, the city government started imposing travel restrictions. Treñas prohibited the “non-essential entry of persons travelling by sea” until April 14.
Executive Order (EO) No. 050 identified the following as “non-essential entry”:
* people travelling by sea from Metro Manila (and its cities), Batangas seaport through the roll-on/roll-off ports
* people travelling by sea who, prior to entering Iloilo City, can be shown to have come from the 120 countries identified by the World Health Organization as having cases of COVID-19
Immune-compromised people or those who are at a higher risk of being infected by COVID-19 (such as senior citizens, children, and pregnant women) are also listed in the EO as “non-essential entry”.
“They shall be subjected to the protocols, decision tools and triages issued by accredited health authorities, and escorted to their respective residences for voluntary home quarantine,” read the EO.
Treñas also announced that the two-week cancellation of classes in all levels – which starts today – will be extended until April 14 instead of March 31.
“All students are required to stay at home and be safe to prevent the spread of the virus,” he said.
Treñas tasked the Iloilo City Police Office, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine Coast Guard to enforce the border restriction.
Cargo ships will be allowed to enter Iloilo City, Treñas said, subject to the guidelines from the Department of Health’s (DOH) Bureau of Quarantine.
However, the crew or passengers of the cargo ships or vessels cannot be allowed to disembark, the EO stressed./PN
