By Mar T. Supnad
ILOCOS SUR – The local government units (LGUs) of Vigan City, Candon City, Caoayan and Magsingal are placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) effective Friday, August 7, 2020 until August 21, 2020 or unless sooner lifted or withdrawn.
On August 6, the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force for the management of emerging infectious diseases (RIATF-1) approved and concurred Executive Order No. 26, series of 2020 issued by Gov. Ryan Luis V. Singson escalating the community quarantine classification of the said LGUs from modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) to MECQ due to the unprecedented increase in the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive cases.
Governor Singson said in his appeal that through this, the province will be able to implement drastic containment measures to prevent further spread of the COVID-19 to the more vulnerable persons in the community and to be able to provide urgent care to those who are afflicted.
To date, the Provincial COVID-19 Task Force has recorded a total of 47 confirmed cases in the province, 41 of which were recorded only for the past three weeks.
Of these, 15 cases were recorded from Vigan City, eight from Candon City, four from Magsingal, and two cases are from Caoayan.
Now that these LGUs are under MECQ, residents are required to observe strict home quarantine except for going to work and accessing essential goods and services.
Any person below 21 years old, those who are 60 years old and above, those with health risks, and pregnant women are required to remain in their residence at all times.
Quarantine passes are also required to limit the movement of the people.
Public transportation is suspended anew except point-to-point services provided by the government, nevertheless, tricycles are allowed to operate but limited to one passenger per tricycle.
Individuals going to work or allowed to buy essential supplies are allowed to use motorcycles, bikes and electronic bikes but limited to one occupant.
Healthcare, manufacturing of essential goods, delivery and courier services and other businesses, as well as essential private and public construction projects are allowed to operate.
However, tourist destinations, theaters and karaoke bars, kid amusement industries, libraries, museums and cultural centers, personal care services such as massage parlors, sauna, facial care and waxing, gyms, sports facilities, are not allowed to operate.
Dining establishment and restaurant operations are limited to delivery and take out.
Individual outdoor exercises such as outdoor walks, running and biking are allowed.
Mass gatherings are prohibited except for those related to critical government services and humanitarian activities, and religious gatherings are only limited to five persons.
Curfew is from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. for non-essential “travels and mobility for non-workers.”
On July 30, Governor Singson issued an advisory through his official Facebook page that Ilocos Sur is temporarily closing its doors to locally stranded individuals (LSIs) from August 1-14, 2020.
This is another measure of the provincial government to at least halt the increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases in the province.
In Moncada, Tarlac, its LGU also imposed strict measures for LSIs and returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as they have recorded two COVID-19 positive cases who are both LSIs from Cavite and Manila.
This was according to Mayor Estelita Aquino who was one of the guests during the Laging Handa Network Briefing hosted by Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar on Thursday.
“We are strict with arriving LSIs and OFWs. Those without health certificates and travel passes would have to turn back or we put them in quarantine facilities for 14 days,” she said.
Likewise in Vigan City, Mayor Juan Carlo Medina issued Executive Order (EO) No. 44, series of 2020 on Thursday and one of the provisions of the EO is the requirements for the entry of LSIs, returning OFWs and authorized persons outside of their residences (APOR).
The order states that their entry is allowed, provided that they present a negative rapid antibody test or reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result that is dated five days prior to their entry.
APOR who are frequent travelers are also required to present a negative RT-PCR result every two weeks.
This is effective until the imposition of MECQ in the city is lifted or withdrawn.