THE Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has placed Iloilo City under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until the end of the month amid the continued increase of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the city.
The IATF, through Resolution No. 116-C issued on May 22, approved the request of the Iloilo city government to place the area under stricter stay home restriction after the Iloilo City COVID Response Team reported a 290 percent increase in the daily average rate in May, while the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) reported a 660 percent increase in the number of active cases.
The MECQ classification took effect on Sunday.
Following the stricter quarantine classification, Mayor Jerry Treñas prohibited the inbound and outbound travel of persons from Negros to Iloilo City and vice versa from May 25 to 31, with the exemption of cargo movers.
Treñas likewise issued Executive Order No. 043 and ordered the temporary closure and suspension of operations of the Iloilo City Hall beginning today pending the decontamination and disinfection of the different offices and the mass testing of employees.
City hall operations will resume once the disinfection of the facility is completed and when results of the RT-PCR tests are released. The mass testing applies to all city hall employees, including elective officials, regular workers, job hires and contractual workers.
Those who will test negative will be allowed to return to work subject to work from home and flexible work arrangements based on a 30 percent onsite capacity.
The Iloilo-CESU has reported that from May 1 to 22, the number of city hall employees who tested positive of the virus reached 25, while two persons died.
Treñas said the high number of cases have “overwhelmed the hospitals in Iloilo City and with bed capacity becoming full to critical, the majority of hospitals temporarily stopped the admission of patients.”
He said most private hospitals, despite being overwhelmed, are also “discouraged from increasing their bed capacities for coronavirus patients attributable to unsettled claims from the state health insurer PhilHealth.”
IATF Resolution No. 116-C also extended the MECQ classification of the provinces of Apayao, Benguet, and Cagayan until May 31. The three provinces have been under stricter lockdown since May 10.
Also under MECQ until the end of the month are the cities of Santiago and Zamboanga and the provinces of Quirino and Ifugao.
President Duterte on May 13, Duterte downgraded the quarantine classification in the National Capital Region (NCR) and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal (NCR Plus) to general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restriction until May 31.
Under the heightened GCQ, only essential travel into and out of the NCR Plus are allowed, while operation of certain industries are still in limited capacities such as the 20 percent capacity for indoor dine-in services and 50 percent capacity for outdoor or al fresco dining;
30 percent capacity for outdoor tourist attractions with strict adherence to minimum health standards; and 30 percent capacity in establishments offering personal care services that do not require mask removal, such as salons, parlors, and beauty clinics, among others.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte yesterday warned residents who would violate community quarantine rules would be issued Ordinance Violation Receipts (OVRs) and possibly be charged with violation of Republic Act 11332, or the law providing policies and prescribing procedures on surveillance and response to notifiable diseases, epidemics, and health events of public health concern.
“Everyone who will violate the guidelines and city ordinances, especially those who join drinking or videoke sessions will receive OVRs and might face charges under RA 11332,” she warned, even as she ordered the city’s legal department to look into the liabilities of the officials of Barangay Nagkaisang Nayon where a pool party and drinking session was recently held.
The occasion has become a superspreader event, with 51 of those who attended the event testing positive for COVID-19.
the QC-CESU said 610 residents were swabbed as a result of party and among these, 31 have already been admitted in different quarantine and treatment facilities, while 18 are still awaiting the results of their RT-PCR tests.
The barangay has been under locked down since May 14.
The QC legal department has issued a show-cause order to the barangay officials to explain why the party was allowed to take place amid the restrictions on mass gathering.
City Legal Officer Attorney Orlando Paolo Casimiro said they will be investigated for possible administrative neglect or misconduct.
Belmonte encouraged QC residents to “take photos and videos whenever possible and report to us by calling our Hotline 122. We assure them that we will take swift action as this is a matter of protecting the health and safety of the whole city.” — With Noel Talacay
