Bacolod imposes 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew

BACOLOD. Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia with the members of Bacolod City Inter-Agency Task Force against coronavirus disease (Covid-19) explains the implementation of Executive Order No.22 in the city during the press conference at the Bacolod Government Center Tuesday, March 17, 2020. (Photo by Merlinda A. Pedrosa)
BACOLOD. Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia with the members of Bacolod City Inter-Agency Task Force against coronavirus disease (Covid-19) explains the implementation of Executive Order No.22 in the city during the press conference at the Bacolod Government Center Tuesday, March 17, 2020. (Photo by Merlinda A. Pedrosa)

BACOLOD City is now implementing the curfew hours from 10 p.m. until 4 a.m. and the early closure of business establishments in the city to prevent and control the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

This, after Mayor Evelio Leonardia issued Executive Order (EO) No. 22 providing for the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) EO No. 21, Series of 2020.

The EO No. 22 was signed by Leoardia on March 16.

Leonardia said President Rodrigo Duterte, in his address to the nation on March 16, 2020, pronounced that “mayors may issue executive orders to make the environment or their (municipalities) more conducive for the healing process.” And that “in this emergency, the mayor can come up with any measure to protect public health safety, public interest and public order to make life more livable.”

The Bacolod City Inter-Agency Task Force against Covid-19 issued Resolution No. 7 Series of 2020, dated March 16 requesting the City Mayor to approve the proposed IRR for EO No. 21, which was immediately approved by the mayor.

Leonardia said there shall be the implementation of the curfew hours from 10 p.m. until 4 a.m. of the following day. These restricted hours shall require any person to already have returned to his/her home and stay thereat until the lapse of the restriction.

For this purpose, guardians shall take responsibility over their minor children or wards in observing the curfew. Any person failing or refusing to observe this curfew measure may be dealt with appropriate by the PNP as regards the inimical act committed in violation of public order.

The following shall be exempt from these curfew measures in the performance of their duties: Medical personnel and persons needing emergency medical help; night shift workers at pharmacies and drugstores; security guards; business process outsourcing (BPO) workers; public utility emergency personnel; the firefighters and other disaster relief personnel; priest and ministers performing last sacrament or last rites; public utility vehicle drivers servicing all of the above.

Leonardia said all malls, recreational centers, community centers, and other commercial areas are directed to limit their daily operational hours until 8 p.m., except BPO, medical centers, hospitals other health care establishments, pharmacies, and funeral parlor.

He said the private offices and establishments are encouraged to observe alternative working arrangements pursuant to Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) Labor Advisory No. 9, Series of 2020 dated March 4, 2020.

Section 1 of the EO No.22 stated that the general community quarantine shall be implemented in the City of Bacolod until 11:59 p.m. of April 14, 2020, or as earlier revoked by Leonardia. The same, however, may also be subject to extension should the circumstance and situation warrant, in accordance with the directives and/or issuance of competent and national agencies and officials.

Leonardia said the general community quarantine shall be effective at all times whereby movements of people is limited to accessing basic necessities and work, and where unformed personnel and quarantine officers shall be present at border patrol.

He said the check-up points shall be put up in strategic areas of the city primarily under and sound determination of the local Philippine National Police, to be assisted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the City Health Office (CHO), and any other government agency, where they check vehicular/pedestrian traffic in order to enforce circulation control of all necessary quarantine measures and other laws, orders and regulations.

He added the non-essential entry of persons into or exit out of Bacolod City shall be restricted, except for out-of-towners who report for work in Bacolod City during their work days, they should have valid company identification (ID) card; Bacolod residents who report for work out-of-town during their work day, they should have valid ID; medical/ health workers in the performance for their duties; people travelling for medical or humanitarian reasons; authorized government officials/employees in the performance of their duties; people providing basic services; returning delivery personnel of business establishments based either in Bacolod City or out-of-town.

In all above exemptions, they should not exhibit symptoms of Covid-19 infection; otherwise, they shall be managed in the following manner; out-of-towners, they shall be made to return to their place of residents; for Bacolod residents, they shall be disallowed from leaving the city if they are on their way out and they shall be endorsed to the CHO or the barangay health emergency response team (BHERTs) for proper medical handling. Likewise, if they are returning to the city, they shall be also endorsed to the CHO or BHERTs.

Leonardia said in all human interaction in any place and at any time, the general public is directed to observe the appropriate social distancing and to observe proper hygienic measures.

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