AS Metro Manila transitioned to general community quarantine (GCQ) status at midnight of Monday, a barangay in Pandacan, Manila was placed under a two-day hard lockdown by Mayor Isko Moreno on the same day it recorded four confirmed and six suspected cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Moreno said Barangay 847, Zone 2 in Pandacan was locked down on the request of the barangay chairman. The area has an estimated 300 families, or about 3, 000 individuals, population.
“The order will be effective from 12 a.m. of June 1 until 11:59 p.m. of June 2. May request ang chairman na mag-lock down kaya tiningnan namin ang mga datos. Viable ang lockdown kaya granted ang inyong request (There was a request from the chairman for a lockdown. We looked at the data and it seemed it was viable. So, we granted the request),” Moreno said in a Facebook video address on Saturday evening.
Under Executive Order No.24, COVID-19 surveillance, rapid risk assessment and testing activities will be conducted by health authorities in the area during the two-day lockdown period.
EO 24 likewise ordered all residents to strictly comply with home quarantine rules. Quarantine passes are canceled, and the city government, in coordination with the barangay council, will deliver basic necessities to the residents.
Exempted from the stay-at-home rules are health workers, military personnel, service workers, utility workers, essential workers, barangay officials, and media practitioners accredited by the Presidential Communications Operations Office and the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
“All other commercial, industrial, retail, institutional and other activities not mentioned in the above exemptions in the said district shall be suspended within the specified period of the ECQ,” the order stated.
It also directed the Manila police department to deploy personnel in strategic locations in the said barangay to enforce the lockdown.
As of Saturday, the Manila City health department said 1,386 Manileños have been reported infected with COVID-19 since the first case was reported. There are 882 active cases, suspected cases are at 1,805, and probable cases at 148. Records also showed that 403 have recovered, while 101 have succumbed to the virus.
Most of the 1,386 cases came from the first and second districts of Tondo, Sampaloc and Sta. Cruz areas. Sampaloc and the Tondo districts were earlier placed under hard lockdown.
MANDALUYONG
The Mandaluyong City government has set the guidelines for the resumption of passenger tricycle operations in the city as residents resume city movement under a “new normal” lifestyle.
Under Ordinance No. 779 series 2020 signed by Mayor Menchie Abalos, public utility tricycles were allowed to collect a minimum fare of ₱20 from their passengers, which is limited to only one at any time, except during emergency; passengers must have their quarantine passes and/or employment IDs and should wear face masks; tricycle operations are only from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.; drivers are mandated to wear face masks and protective gloves at all times; a barrier such as a plastic shield must be between the driver and passenger; a common box for payment/change must be provided; drivers should provide alcohols or hand sanitizers for their passengers; and drivers are required to keep a logbook of the names of their passengers, date and time of pickup as well as contact details.
The city government likewise said all tricycle units should display the fare matrix and guidelines inside the tricycles; units should be disinfected after trip; operators must ensure strict compliance to the guidelines; and operators must see to it that tricycle drivers are healthy and those showing symptoms must immediately be tested and sent to a quarantine facility immediately.
A fine of ₱1,000 per violation of the guidelines will be charged against violators.
Passengers are advised to ride only in tricycle units with drivers with ID and health clearance certificate indicating that he/she has undergone and has passed testing. — With Christian Oineza
