NON-ESSENTIAL events among government offices, including government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCC) in Davao City, are still prohibited after Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio extended its prohibition until the end of 2021.
Duterte-Carpio issued Executive Order No. 43, prohibiting all barangay, local and national government office events including GOCC events until December 31, 2021.
This is an extension to EO 31 issued on May 24, which lapsed after August 31.
"There is a need to extend the provisions of Executive Order No. 31 series of 2021 to regulate some activities that can contribute to local transmission in the City," the mayor said in her EO.
She also said this is a precautionary measure following the surge of cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) and other parts of the country, and the emergence of new Covid-19 variants.
Duterte-Carpio previously said some government events had been the source of infection.
"Because nakita nato sa history sa atoang contact tracing nga dunay government events nga nahimong source or spread sa infection," Duterte-Carpio said.
(We saw in the contact tracing history that certain government events became the source of infection.)
According to the EO, non-essential activities include face-to-face events including inauguration, anniversary, thanksgiving, ribbon-cutting, blessing, turnover, groundbreaking activity, launching program, salo-salo (gathering), birthday, press conference, oath-taking program, photo opportunity, retirement honors, welcome honors, testimonial program, summer outing, team building, and all other similar events.
The mayor also ordered the suspension of all face-to-face non-emergency essential government activities including training and seminars until the end of the year.
The above events are encouraged to shift to online platforms.
However, offices under non-emergency essential government activities may apply for exemption to the City Mayor's Office.
"The letter must include a comprehensive plan on how to execute their non-emergency essential activity without creating a mass gathering situation," the EO states.
The mayor, meanwhile, allowed all disaster and emergency activities including the distribution of financial, food, and non-food items are allowed.
However, she said the distribution of food and non-food items that are not related to a disaster or emergency event should be done "house to house in the form of contactless delivery by the organizer, or in a distribution system where no mass gathering is conducted."
"These activities include but are not limited to the distribution of livelihood kits, information materials, distribution of government aid, community pantry, food aid, and all other similar activities," the EO said.