MISAMIS Oriental Governor Yevgeny Emano has ordered the Provincial Social Welfare and Development (PSWD) office to ensure food distribution to qualified indigent families as the province is now placed under general community quarantine.
Emano issued Tuesday, March 24, an executive order declaring the province under general community quarantine effective 8 p.m. of March 24 until 11:59 p.m. of April 14 "unless otherwise extended to contain Covid-19 local transmission."
The governor also directed the PSWD to formulate contingency plan to monitor families of their basic needs but not only limited to food.
He said the PSWD must devise a social amelioration package to affected individuals. It must contain the qualification and schedule of distribution.
The capitol's top official also ordered the Provincial Agriculture Office (Pagro) to ensure sufficiency of food supply for the whole province.
Pagro was also directed to ensure the proper handling of agricultural products sourced from outside the province with 10 percent sodium hypochloride or any food grade disinfectant and conduct disinfectant of all agricultural products entering the province.
Similar with other areas in the region, Misamis Oriental will also ban entry of people except those who will deliver goods and other commodities; medical practitioners and personnel; those with legitimate employment with government agencies and private establishments allowed to open and operate under the community quarantine situation such as supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, water, power and telecommunication utilities and similar establishments; and all Misamis Oriental residents who are returning from work provided that they show proof of residence and employment.
The Provincial Government also implemented a province-wide curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. The curfew, however, shall not be applicable to health workers, authorized government workers, those travelling for humanitarian reasons and transport of food and food products.
Hoarding and/or reselling of basic commodities with prices spikes is strictly prohibited. All must observe the DTI price freeze on all commodities.
The order also include penalty clause for those who violates the order under Republic Act 11332 or the Law on Reporting of Communicable disease and the revised penal code for direct assault against an officer and resistance and disobedience to a person in authority.