BACOLOD City Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran urged the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) to strictly enforce all the executive orders on enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) issued by Mayor Evelio Leonardia to prevent and stop the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
Familiaran, chairman of Bacolod City Inter-Agency Task Force against Covid-19, said he held a meeting with the BCPO personnel Thursday, April 16, who were assigned in various check-up points in the city.
“They were reminded to strictly enforce all the executive orders that were earlier issued by the mayor like the use of face mask in all public places, the practice of social distancing, and the number coding of home quarantine pass (HQP) among others so we can address this problem,” he said.
He said policemen should inspect the residents HQP number to ensure that they are following the number coding of the HQP.
Leonardia earlier issued Executive Order (EO) No. 30 prescribing the limitations on the mandatory use of the HQP during the ECQ in the city.
The EO states that persons holding HQPs ending in odd numbers, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, shall be allowed to go out from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays only.
Those with HQPs ending in even numbers, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 0, shall be allowed to go out from 4 a.m.to 10 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays only.
The HQPs shall not be honored during Sundays. All persons are required to strictly observe home quarantine on this day except for those rendering essential government services, frontline workers, persons requiring medical assistance, persons involved in the movement of cargoes and goods, and workers providing essential services such as those mentioned in Section 9 of Executive Order No. 26.
Familiaran said the city government will strictly enforce the ECQ until April 30 and they will not allow the tricycles or trisikads to operate during the ECQ.
He said the Province of Negros Occidental already announced that they will make some adjustments on the implementation of ECQ in the province which includes allowing the operation of tricycles and trisikads and resumption of constructions all over the province.
“We have different situation from the province. There were some towns in the province that their means of transportation were tricycles. We should remember that we have seven Covid-19 positive here with local transmission. It’s better to be sure than sorry and I hope that our people will understand our situation,” he added.
Meanwhile, Familiaran said since last week, there were no reported new cases of Covid-19 positive in the city and it’s a good development.
He said the task force is still waiting for the second swab test results of the patient under investigation (PUIs) or those who were earlier tagged in the ultra-risks areas where their areas have been sealed-off and it’s now about to be lifted. (MAP)