ILOCOR Norte Gov. Matthew Marcos Manotoc yesterday placed Laoag City under general community quarantine due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the city.
“Due to increase of confirmed cases in the city of Laoag, there is a need to reinstate the quarantine classification of general community quarantine,” Manotoc said in an executive order.
As of noon yesterday, the city has recorded a total of 421 COVID-19 cases. Of the number, 297 have recovered while 124 are active cases.
If the city would follow the Department of Health, Manotoc said it should be under the modified enhance community quarantine, whose rules are stricter than GCQ.
“But due to the economic impact, we have chosen to escalate only to GCQ,” Manotoc said in a press briefing.
Manotoc urged residents to avoid closed spaces with poor ventilation, crowded areas, and close contact with other people.
“Minimum health standards such as wearing of a mask , face shield, six feet (two meters) of social distance, and no sharing of instruments shall be observed,” Manotoc said in the order.
Manotoc said “movement of persons shall be limited to accessing essential goods and services and for work in the offices and industries permitted to operate. Movement for leisure purposes shall not be allowed.”
He said curfew and liquor ban shall be from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Exempted from the curfew are health workers, barangay officials and tanods, officers and members of the Laoag City PNP, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and Bureau of Fire Protection, and those in the list of Authorized Persons Outside Residence.
