ILOILO City – The city government hopes to start gradually easing its quarantine measures by May 1. Mayor Jerry Treñas welcomed the inputs of professors from the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV). “This situation is new to us all. We have no experience in this regard so we need all the help we can get from the experts,” he said.
Treñas created an ad-hoc committee to formulate and prescribe policies for the gradual lifting of the enhanced community quarantine. He forwarded to the committee the UPV professors’ proposed lockdown exit strategy.
The mayor said there would still be restrictions on public transport, school classes and religious gatherings, among others while quarantine rules and regulations are lifted in stages or phases.
The UPV lockdown exit plan was prepared by professors Maria Elisa Baliao, Rhodella Ibabao, Hanny John Mediodia, Cristabel Parcon, Juhn Cris Espia, and Vicente Balinas.
“Iloilo City should consider prepping for a phased reopening, and scaling back of the local government unit’s (LGU) support for the economy. The phased reopening is a strategy that will protect the people from the (corona)virus while allowing life to progressively return to normal, albeit a “new normal.”
The following factors may be considered by decision-makers in the phased reopening of certain activities, according to the professors:
* contribution of the sector/industry in the delivery of services for general welfare and safety (general welfare and safety factor)
* capacity of the LGU to regulate and monitor strict physical distancing measures and contact tracing (institutional factor)
* issuances from the national government and sector/industry specific entities (legal factor)
* percentage of the LGU to maintain mass testing (institutional and financial factor)
* percentage of recovery is higher than death among confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 (health factor)
* low percentage of recovered COVID-19 patients positive again from the disease (health factor)
* social acceptability of proposed action from various sectors (social factor)
* other considerations
The professors also proposed an order of prioritization for the city’s gradual reopening:
* 1st – work
* 2nd – school activities
* 3rd – leisure activities
* 4th – travel
The schedule of reopened activities and the conduct of mandatory activities (ex. curfew and restriction of certain items or activities) may be modified, lifted, lengthened, shortened, or put in place again, depending on the results of the earlier mentioned factors,” according to the professors.
Here are some of the proposed guidelines for the resumption of work activities:
* continue requiring business establishments to implement safety measures such as adopting alternative working arrangements to ensure social distancing; having post-COVID-19 hotlines within establishments; ensure strict social distancing (one meter apart); practice constant disinfection; use of thermal scanners
* continue the curfew
* extend the ban on opening of schools and places of worship
* continue the holding of weddings and funerals but with restrictions
For public transportation, here are some of the proposed guidelines:
* regulate the number of public utility jeepneys (PUJ) that could operate daily
* jeepneys, taxis, tricycles, pedicabs should abide by certain restrictions
For malls, supermarkets, restaurants, and retail stores:
* supermarkets, groceries and convenience stores must follow standardized procedures on physical distancing
* allow malls to open provided they abide by certain restrictions
* allow casual dining at restaurants but with restrictions
* encourage restaurants to tie up with third party food service deliveries to help practice physical distancing
For construction sites: “While the COVID-19 situation is changing rapidly, the legislation and regulation used to govern the Philippines workplaces are not. Employees have the duty to keep workers and worksites safe and free of hazards. All measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 should be done in compliance with requirements under the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Department Order No. 13-2017 (Occupational Safety and Health Standard) which enumerated the guidelines for occupational safety and health in the construction industry, and associated regulations and public health directions issued by the Department of Health.
For local government units:
* review the border control
* review the composition and function of the border security
* guidelines for priorities should be set
“(There should be a) public awareness campaign…to make the city population aware of the exit plan of the city government. The campaign can make use of radio, television and the social media,” according to the professors.
A public awareness campaign is important because it can be used to inform the community about the features of the exit plan and draw their attention to it, it stressed.
For targeted mass testing: “It is important that people are aware of the steps to assure their safe return to work. The public should be reminded that the city government has started using rapid test kits to examine those suspected of having contracted the disease. Once they get positive results, the patients will be isolated and will undergo confirmatory test.”
AD-HOC COMMITTEE
On April 18, Treñas issued Executive Order No. 65 forming an ad-hoc committee to formulate and prescribe policies for the gradual lifting of the enhanced community quarantine in Iloilo City.
“Ang akon lang ginapangayo kooperasyon because we have to open already. Naluoy ako sa mga pumoluyo ta nga waay trabaho,” said Treñas.
He, however, made it clear that “even if we reopen on May 1, ang ini nga problema ari pa ‘ni upod sa aton. So we have to do everything nga masiguro ta gid nga safe ang mga Ilonggos.”
The mayor urged residents to religiously follow quarantine policies such as the 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew and staying at home.
“Gina-obra ta ‘ni because we want to open by May 1,” stressed Treñas.
The committee is led by the Iloilo City COVID-19 focal person Dr. Roland Jay Fortuna as chairperson and Special Assistant to the Mayor Anabelle Rosario Blancaflor as vice chairperson.
The members are Engr. Jinny Hermano, city treasurer; Atty. GV Eutiquio Cunada of the City Legal Office; Norman Tabud of the Business Permits and Licensing Office; Jeck Conlu of the Public Safety and Transportation Management Office; Dr. Anabelle Tang of the City Health Office; Councilor Allan Zaldivar, chairperson, Iloilo City Council committee on gamily; Councilor Lady Julie Grace Baronda, chairperson, Iloilo City Council committee on disaster risk reduction; Nelson Uygongco, consultant for security; Robert Uy, representative, multisectoral group; Jobert Herrera, representative of urban poor; Engineer Terence Uygongco, representative of Iloilo Business Club; Francis Gentoral, representative of the Iloilo Economic Development Foundation; Atty. Joebert Peñaflorida, representative of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Ramon Cua Locsin and Walter Uy, representatives from the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Panay; Vicente Tang, representative of the Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Iloilo; Councilor Irene Ong, president, Liga ng Barangay; and Police Colonel Eric Dampal, city police director./PN
