A 14-DAY lockdown or enhanced community quarantine will be declared in the province next week.
This was announced Tuesday, March 24, by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson after a consensus was made in a meeting with the local chief executives.
“The earlier, the better,” Lacson said when asked for a definite date that he is going to issue an Executive Order for the lockdown.
The meantime that the province is preparing for a lockdown, it was agreed that a uniform curfew will be implemented throughout the province which will be from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
“I just want to assure the public that even if we have to go through the enhanced community quarantine, food supply will be available and it’s not that people cannot go out anymore from their respective homes,” Lacson said.
He added that there will always be a person from each house allowed to go out and buy groceries.
The villages will issue a quarantine pass in every household.
“We will also make sure that cargoes will continue especially food, medicines and other essentials. We will also make sure that even our sugar industry will continue to mill because it is very important. If we have the sugar industry continue milling, there is at least employment for our people,” he pointed out.
“There is no reason to panic. What we are limiting here is the movement of people,” he said.
As to the suspension of transportation, Lacson said, “we will study that as the province will not close its borders for cargoes like food and rice.”
During the meeting, Lacson committed to give P1 million worth of rice assistance to all cities and municipalities.
It was also agreed that all LGUs will do an inventory of the food available in their respective localities, he said.
LGUs will also submit names of their constituents that are under the 4Ps program of the national government.
A total of 18 mayors attended the meeting.
On the curfew for senior citizens and for minors, Lacson said he leaves it to every LGU to decide.
“Covid-19 is really a serious problem. We will see the spike of the number of cases in the coming days when swab results will be available so we have to bite the bullet for the solution and that is to limit the movement of the people to avoid the spread of Covid-19,” Lacson explained.
Moreover, lawyer Japhet Masculino, head of the Provincial Agriculture Office, assured that the National Food Authority has assured that they have enough supply of rice that could last for three months until June.
Masculino also said that there are still local rice harvests in some areas.
“NFA is selling rice to LGUs at P27 per kilo. They also assured that they will only sell the rice supplies to the LGUs,” Masculino added.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz also revealed that the governor has already activated the Price Monitoring Council to make ensure enough supplies and stable prices of goods and commodities.