THE City Government of Bacolod will continue its preventive measures against coronavirus disease (Covid-19) after it will be downgraded from general community quarantine (GCQ) to modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).

This was stressed by Vice Mayor El acid Familiaran, chairperson of the Bacolod City Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) against Covid-19, Thursday, May 28, after the National IATF issued Resolution No. 40 that beginning June 1, the low risk provinces, highly urbanized cities (HUCs) and Independent Component Cities (ICCs), shall be placed under MGCQ under June 15, 2020.

Familiaran said he already received a copy of the NIATF Resolution No.40 where several areas from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao were recommended to be placed under MGCQ on June 1-15.

For Visayas, Region- VI, these areas include Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Bacolod City. For Region-VIII, Bilirsn, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Western Samar, Southern Leyte, Ormoc City, and Tacloban City.

Familiaran said they will hold a joint meeting with Mayor Evelio Leonardia and other agencies to discuss its preventive measures to be implemented after May 31.

He said that under the MGCQ, those business establishments that were not allowed to operate during the GCQ can operate by June 1 like the coffee shops, saloon, restaurants dine-in, movie theater among others provided that they will operate with 50 percent manpower and seating capacity.

Leonardia earlier issued Executive Order No. 35 placing the City of Bacolod under GCQ pursuant to the Omnibus Guidelines of the IATF against Covid-19, as confirmed and adopted by Presidential Executive Order No. 112 dated April 30, 2020.

“During the MGCQ, the city will strictly enforce the preventive measures against Covid-19 like the wearing of mask, social distancing, curfew among others. We are asking the cooperation of everybody to follow the health protocols to prevent the spread of the virus,” Familiaran said.

He said the City Council already approved the ordinance for the strict implementation of curfew from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., mandatory wearing of face mask, and social distancing of at least one meter with penalties and fine.