MAYOR Evelio Leonardia issued Executive Order (EO) 60, placing Bacolod City under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from September 8 to 30 pursuant to Resolution 69-A, Series of 2020 dated September 7, 2020 of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID).
Leonardia, who signed the EO on September 7, said the IATF placed Bacolod City under general community quarantine (GCQ) from September 1 to 30 under its Resolution 67 dated August 31, and on that basis, EO 57, dated August 31, was correspondingly issued to implement the required GCQ within the city until September 30.
On September 7, however, he said a televised announcement was made by the IATF, this time revising the quarantine status of Bacolod City from GCQ to MECQ until September 30.
The upgrade was based on the fact that the city registered a total of 462 additional Covid-19 positives in a matter of four days, which is an alarming spike in infections, attributed to the recently-conducted mass testing under EO 55 and which may, consequently, result in a far more menacing event of an uncontrolled spread of Covid-19 to the point that hospitals and health care facilities in the city would be overwhelmed, said Leonardia.
"This unfortunate but indispensable reversal from GCQ to MECQ status, like in any previous manner of upgrading the status of community quarantine, is intended to slow down the rate of local transmissions and to serve as fundamental reminder to our citizens that both the national and city governments are always concerned about the health of the people with unquestioned determination to prevail in the battle against this Covid-19 pandemic and, at the same time, to demand from the same people their sincere cooperation and clear community awareness and understanding that the gains brought about by the previous health discipline and protocols shall not be wasted in order that our people and the local economy shall survive despite the Covid-19 health crisis," he added.
Section 3 of the EO states that the home quarantine pass (HQP) system ordered in EO 58, as amended by EO 58-A, to be implemented from September 6 to 19 "shall now be implemented from affectivity date of this EO until September 30 carry out restriction on people's movements while under MECQ status."
Public transportation shall also be suspended pursuant to Paragraph 11, Section 3 of the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines with amendments as of July 16, 2020.
Individual outdoor exercises such as outdoor walks, jogging, running or biking are allowed provided that the minimum health standards and precautions, such as the wearing of masks and the maintenance of social distancing protocols, are observed.
The face-to-face or person-to-person at all levels shall be suspended for the duration of MECQ. Mass gatherings such as but not limited to movie, screenings, concerts, sports events, and other entertainment activities, community assemblies, and non-essential work gatherings shall be prohibited.
Gatherings that are for the provision of critical government services and authorized humanitarian activities while adhering to the prescribed minimum health standards will be allowed, "provided further that religious gatherings shall be limited to not more than five persons until otherwise modified through subsequent issuances of the IATF."
"To allow workers and employees enough time to commute home after work without having to crowd public transport terminals and city streets to pick up their rides home that would violate social distancing rules, the daily curfew to be observed by the general public in the duration of the MECQ from September 8 to 30, 2020 shall be from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.," the EO stated.
Selling of liquor or any alcohol or intoxicating beverage shall also be allowed from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. only, subject to the strict observance of social distancing and other mandatory health protocols.
Until further advice, the three major public markets -- the Central Market, Burgos North Market, and the Libertad South Market -- shall be closed on Sundays for cleaning and sanitation in observance of health protocols and public safety, the EO stated.
Businesses in the essential goods and services sectors, as well as those engaged in providing prime commodities such as supermarkets, public and private wet markets, grocery stores, agri-fishery supply stores, veterinary supply stores, pharmacies, drug stores and other retail establishments under similar business engagements are strongly encouraged to extend their daily store operations to a maximum of 12 hours convenient to both the customers and the proprietors, "provided that the policies on minimum health protocols, curfew, usage of the HQP under odd-even scheme, and other measures for public health and safety embodied in this Executive Order shall remain imposable at all times."
Inbound travel into the city by land, sea, or air of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) is suspended under Resolution 69 dated September 7, 2020 of the IATF. The suspension will remain in force and effect until revoked by the IATF.
The previous period of September 6-19, 2020 established in EO 58, as amended by EO 58-A, for the maintenance of check-up points within Bacolod City and along city borders, has also been amended.
This time, check-up points shall be maintained for the duration of the MECQ on the basis of the IATF Resolution 69-A dated September 7, 2020.
"This notwithstanding City Ordinance 937, s. 2020 granting Emergency Authority to the City Mayor to set up check-up points for periods not exceeding 14 days at a time. Police visibility shall also be enhanced under the same public duty of enforcing health protocols, public security and safety, and the maintenance of peace and order in strategic areas it deems effective for law enforcement," the EO added.