PAMPANGA Governor Dennis Pineda signed an amended version of his Executive Order No. 5, extending stricter quarantine protocols and an expanded curfew time until April 30, 2021.
Under the said order, Pampanga was placed under curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. The order provided that only health, emergency, government, frontline, essential or night shift workers and others who are traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons are not covered by the curfew.
Pineda also ordered the Philippine National Police to establish provincial and municipal checkpoints during curfew hours.
The order also called on local government units of the province where there is a surge in Covid-19 cases to provide for and implement stricter guidelines and protocols in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
Work in local government units and other public offices under the jurisdiction of the province will be under any or a combination of work-from-home, skeleton (skeletal) workforce or four-day (compressed) workweek, except for banks, financial institutions, hospitals, and other disaster and/or emergency response offices or agencies.
Private offices and establishments must also observe stricter office protocols.
Face-to-face meetings will be minimized and the use of existing technology for voice calls and video conferencing, online meetings are encouraged.
Heads of offices and employers were also mandated to make necessary engineering controls, such as installation of proper barriers, adjustments of workplace layout to ensure physical distancing, and proper ventilation. Having meals in groups will be strictly prohibited inside office spaces.
The immediate superiors will ensure that the personnel present is afforded a rotational and sufficient period to take their respective lunch or meal breaks to avoid eating in groups in the workplace and ensure that physical distancing is always observed.
The order took effect on Thursday, April 15.