ILOILO City – Starting today, this southern city is imposing additional measures to preempt the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
“It is no longer important whether there will be a temporary suspension of trips from Iloilo to Negros or if Iloilo City’s quarantine level will be increased…We have many new cases every day…many are already dead. Let’s just protect the Ilonggos,” said Mayor Jerry Treñas.
Earlier, he sought for a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) for this city. It has yet to be acted upon by the National Inter-Agency Task Force (NIATF).
Iloilo City is currently under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).
Citing DOH data, the mayor said the city logged a total of 6,946 cases as of May 15, 2021 with a mortality doubling time of 41.82.
The Iloilo City COVID Response Team also reported a 290 percent increase in the daily average rate of cases in May 2021 (from April 2021) while the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) reported a 660 percent increase in active cases with 76 new confirmed cases recorded in May 19, 2021. Active cases surged to 747 that day. Daily COVID average now at 39 cases.
In Executive Order No. 42 (An Order Providing for Additional Health Intervention Measures to Curb the Surge of COVID-19 Cases in Iloilo City), Treñas ordered a curfew for all residents from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
He also limited the movement for the vulnerable sectors, prohibited mass gatherings, and ordered the strict enforcement of safety protocols in establishments until May 31.
Like in Iloilo province, swimming pools and other similar swimming amenities of resorts, hotels, accommodation establishments and condominiums in Iloilo City were temporarily closed.
Only hotels or accommodation establishments accredited by the Department of Tourism (DOT) shall be allowed to accommodate guests and clients for legitimate purposes.
The operations of such hotels and accommodation establishments, as well as ancillary establishments within their premises such as restaurants, cafés, gyms, spas, function halls, and the like, shall be subject to the guidelines issued by the DOT and the IATF.
CURFEW
As to the curfew, exempted are medical, government and uniformed personnel, public utility services, and those who are obtaining essential goods and services, or working in essential services or industries and offices where the nature of work requires employees to report on a night shift.
VULNERABLE SECTORS
The movement of the vulnerable sectors (persons more than 65 years of age and below 18 years of age, pregnant women, persons with comorbidities, immune-deficiencies and other risk factors, and persons with disabilities) is also limited.
Among others, vulnerable sectors shall be required to remain in their residences at all times, except when indispensable under the circumstances for obtaining essential goods and services.
Also, the individuals aged 18 years and below and 65 years and above may not enter malls and shopping centers except when indispensable under the circumstances for obtaining essential goods and services or for work in establishments located therein until otherwise modified through subsequent issuances of the IATF.
INTRAZONAL TRAVEL IN WV
Those residing and working in Iloilo City are strongly discouraged from engaging in unnecessary travel to areas outside Iloilo City including Negros Island. Non-essential travel which is purely recreational or that which is not intended for work, business or medical and humanitarian reasons shall be strongly discouraged.
Any person with a recent travel history outside Iloilo City and who, upon returning, exhibits any of the signs and/or symptoms of COVID-19 is strongly enjoined to observe strict isolation; immediately contact representatives of the local health authorities such as District Medical Health Officers, Barangay Health Emergency Response Team workers (BHERTs), Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) and/or officers and staff of the Iloilo City Health Office; and submit themselves for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing.
PROHIBITED ESTABLISHMENTS, ACTIVITIES
The following establishments, persons, or activities are prohibited:
* entertainment venues with live performers such as karaoke bars, bars, clubs, concert halls, theaters, and cinemas;
* recreational venues such as internet cafes, billiard halls, amusement arcades, bowling alleys, and similar venues;
* amusement parks or theme parks, fairs/peryas, kid amusement industries such as playgrounds, playroom, and kiddie rides;
* outdoor sports courts or venues for contact sports, scrimmages, games, or activities;
* indoor sports courts or venues, fitness studios, gyms, spas or other indoor leisure centers or facilities, and swimming pools;
* casinos, horse racing, cockfighting and operation of cockpits (including the conduct of e-sabong as the same is only allowed under MGCQ), lottery and betting shops, and other gaming establishments except for the draws conducted by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office;
* indoor visitor or tourist attractions, libraries, archives, museums, galleries, and cultural shows and exhibits;
* outdoor tourist attractions;
* venues for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions;
* personal care services which include beauty salons, beauty parlors, among others
DINE-IN SERVICES
Restaurants, eateries and other food establishments are strongly encouraged to open only for take-outs.
Dine-in services of restaurants, eateries and other food establishments shall be limited to 20 percent seating capacity. However, a greater capacity may be allowed up to a maximum of 50 percent seating capacity for al fresco or outdoor dining subject to strict compliance to Executive Order Nos. 169 and 169-A S 2020.
WORK ARRANGEMENTS, ALLOWABLE CAPACITIES
Only the following establishments and offices are allowed to operate with full on-site capacity:
* public and private hospitals;
* health, emergency, and frontline services, including those provided by dialysis centers, chemotherapy centers, HMOs, health insurance providers, disaster risk reduction management officers, and public safety officers, and the like;
* manufacturers of medicines and vitamins, medical supplies, devices, and equipment, including suppliers of input, packaging, and distribution;
* industries involved in agriculture (crops, fruits, vegetables, livestock, and poultry), forestry, fishery, and such other components of the food value chain and their workers, including farmers and fisherfolks;
* logistics service providers (delivery and courier services; cargo handling, warehousing; trucking; freight forwarding; shipping, port and terminal operators);
* essential and priority construction projects, whether public or private, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Department of Public Works and Highways;
* manufacturing related to food and other essential goods such as but not limited to soap and detergents, diapers, personal hygiene products, toilet paper, and wet wipes, and disinfectants;
* companies that manufacture, distribute, and/or supply equipment or products necessary to perform construction or maintenance works, such as cement and steel, or spare parts;
* essential retail trade and service establishments such as public markets, supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, pharmacies or drug stores, hardware, office supplies, bicycle shops, laundry shops, and water-refilling stations;
* public and private financial service providers involved in the distribution of government grants and amelioration subsidies; and
* business process outsourcing establishments (BPOs), and export-oriented businesses, including mining and quarrying activities; and
* public transport providers and operators.
All other private establishments and offices are allowed to operate at 30 percent maximum on-site capacity while highly encouraging to adopt work-from-home and other flexible work arrangements, where applicable.
Agencies and instrumentalities of the government shall remain fully operational with a skeleton workforce on-site, enjoining to operate at 30 percent capacity and the remainder under alternative work arrangements or work-from-home.
Work-from-home and other flexible work arrangements entailing lower numbers of employees working on site are still highly encouraged.
For Iloilo City Government employees, department heads are directed to adopt work arrangements that entail only 30 percent on-site capacity, insofar as practicable.
OPERATION OF HOTELS, ACCOMMODATION ESTABLISHMENTS
Only hotels or accommodation establishments with valid DOT Accreditation shall be allowed to accommodate guests and clients for legitimate purposes under a state of a public health emergency.
The operations of such hotels and accommodation establishments, as well as ancillary establishments within their premises such as restaurants, cafés, gyms, spas, function halls, and the like, shall be subject to guidelines issued by the DOT and the IATF.
Swimming pools and other similar swimming amenities of resorts, hotels, accommodation establishments and condominiums shall be temporarily closed.
GATHERINGS
Gatherings outside of residences and gatherings at residences with any person outside of one’s immediate household are prohibited.
However, gatherings that are essential for the provision of health services, government services, or humanitarian activities authorized by the appropriate government agency or instrumentality shall be allowed.
Religious gatherings shall be allowed up to 30 percent of the venue capacity. The religious denominations should strictly observe their submitted protocols and the minimum public health standards.
The celebration of weddings, christenings or baptismal rites are strongly discouraged except those who already have scheduled and paid-up bookings prior to this declaration. Provided that, the same can only be attended to by immediate family members (first-degree relatives) or a maximum of 30 percent seating capacity, whichever is lower, and strict observance of minimum public health standards shall be maintained.
WAKES, BURIALS
Gatherings for wakes, inurnment and funerals for those who died of causes other than COVID-19 may be allowed, provided that the same shall be limited to immediate family members (first-degree relatives) only if being conducted at the residences.
If such shall be conducted at the funeral homes, satisfactory proof of the relationship with the deceased and the attendees shall be inspected by the management. In all cases, full compliance with the prescribed minimum public health standards for the duration of the activity must be strictly observed.
In all cases, the maximum number of days for the conduct of wakes shall be three days from the time the remains of the deceased are first displayed no matter whether the family or significant others of the deceased choose more than one venue for the same.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
The road, maritime (except those with the approved travel moratorium from and to specified destinations), and aviation sectors of public transportation shall be allowed to operate at such capacity and protocols in accordance with guidelines issued by the Department of Transportation.
The use of active transportation such as biking is highly encouraged.
The movement of cargo/delivery vehicles, as well as vehicles used by public utility companies, shall be unhampered. Shuttle services of permitted establishments shall not be subject to an ID system but shall maintain compliance with minimum public health standards with the drivers wearing face masks all the time and with transparent anti-COVID-19 dividers from the passengers. Passengers shall maintain one seat apart from each other and must sanitize prior to taking in. Companies with shuttle services must maintain a log book to easily track the passengers/employees.
VACCINATION ROLL-OUT
Vaccination roll-out at the identified vaccination sites shall remain unhampered. No walk-ins for pre-registration at the sites will be imposed.
Only the confirmed residents on the priority list and with vaccination tickets shall be accommodated.
HOME QUARANTINE
Confirmed COVID-19 positive individuals shall no longer be allowed to observe isolation or quarantine at home except those who are senior citizens, provided that home arrangements allow isolation from other family members, subject to inspection and approval of BHERTs./PN
