ILOILO – In work places and private establishments in this province, not observing social distancing at this time of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is reckless, and now punishable.
Social distancing, also called “physical distancing”, means keeping space between people. Its goal is to stop or slow down the spread of COVID-19.
People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus, thus social distancing is a must. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales.
The newly-minted Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-224 gives more teeth to Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.’s Executive Order No. 080 placing the province under an enhanced community quarantine to curb COVID-18 transmission. It has two sets of penalties – for erring customers and for erring establishments/offices and their officials.
As of yesterday, April 19, Western Visayas had 49 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with Iloilo province having 18, according to the Department of Health.
Of the 18 cases, one remains confined in the hospital, eight are on home quarantine while two are being quarantined in their local government-identified quarantine facility. Three cases recovered from the disease while four died.
For customers/clients of establishments not observing social distancing, the penalties are the following:
* first offense – reprimand
* second offense – a fine of P1,000
* third and succeeding offenses – a fine of P3,000 or imprisonment for 10 days, or both at the discretion of the court
For erring establishments, the owners, managers, supervisors or persons directly in charge of the operation face the following penalties:
* first offense – a fine of P3,000 or imprisonment for five days, or both at the discretion of the court
* second offense – a fine of P4,000 or imprisonment for 10 days, or both at the discretion of the court
* third and succeeding offenses – a fine of P5,000 or imprisonment for 15 days, or both at the discretion of the court
Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-224 sponsor Sangguniang Panlalawigan member June Mondejar thought of this measure after observing that many people and establishments were not observing social distancing.
“Naglibot ako sa isa ka tindahan, daw baliwala lang. Sa mga grocery stores baliwala man. Ang isa ka pawnshop may pila pero wala distansya sang at least one meter,” Mondejar told Panay News.
He expressed hope that penalizing the non-observance of social distancing would prompt people to practice it.
Under Defensor’s Executive Order No. 080 placing the province under an enhanced community quarantine, the following may operate:
* establishments providing food/water and other related necessities like municipal public markets, supermarkets, sari-sari stores, grocery stores, convenient stores and bakeshops, and water-refilling stations
* establishments providing healthcare services like hospitals, medical clinics, diagnostic centers and laboratories, dental clinics and pharmacies
* establishments / factories / plants engaged in the manufacturing / processing / storage of basic food products and health needs
* establishments providing financial services like banks, pawnshops, money transfer, and payment remittance centers
* public utilities providing for transportation, power, energy, water, telecommunications and cargo handling services
* establishments providing such other basic necessities and services
* media establishments
* business process outsourcing and knowledge process outsourcing establishments
* other work places / restaurants, fast food chains and food stalls/PN
