THE Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) will strictly abide by the guidelines stipulated in the Executive Order (EO) No. 20-20-B issued by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson. This is to ensure effective transition from enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to general community quarantine (GCQ) in the province beginning April 20.
With no reported positive cases in the 12 component cities and 19 municipalities from March 30 to present, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) against Covid-19 of Negros Occidental recommended the said transition.
Included in the new guidelines is allowing the tricycles and trisikads to operate, provided the tricycles will have a limit of three passengers plus a driver and the trisikads will be allowed to have only one passenger. Subject to the devised scheme of the traffic management authorities of the local government units, 50 percent of franchises for the said transport sector will be allowed to operate on a daily basis. The public utility vehicles still will not be allowed.
The private and public construction firms will be allowed to resume their projects and their workers will be included among the authorize persons outside of residence (APOR) thus are allowed to pass through the quarantine control points (QCPs). Likewise, hardware stores will be considered essential and be permitted to conduct business. The administrative staff of public and private schools in the province are directed to resume their work maintaining a skeletal workforce of 50 percent of the regular employees.
Despite the transition, strict home quarantine, mandatory wearing of mask, social distancing and curfew for senior citizens and children will still be imposed. NOCPPO will utilize effective integrated patrol deployment plan in coordination with the Philippine Army and other law enforcement agencies to maximize the implementation of the said quarantine procedures.
The provisions of EO 20-15 on the closure of the borders on sea, land and air will remain in full effectivity.
Police Colonel Romeo A Baleros, provincial director of Nocppo informs the public that while Negros Occidental is moving towards easing the restrictions, NOCPPO will still be very strict in implementing the policies to beat Covid-19 in Negros Occidental. (PR)