By John Clifford Lintao
A LAKESHORE town east of Metro Manila is embarking on a policy that would ensure a continued economic activity while effectively complying on the re-imposition of lockdown in Rizal Province by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Aside from wearing face masks, Binangonan local government unit has started requiring residents to wear face shields whenever they leave their premises.
Municipal Administrator Russel Callanta Ynares hinted the measure requiring residents to wear face shield aside from the face mask outside of their homes will give them added protection to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
A strict “No-Face Mask and Face Shield-No Entry Policy” is also in effect at the public market even before the entire province of Rizal was reverted to modified enhanced community quarantine category by the President on Sunday night.
However, to prevent another economic slump, Ynares said that they have allowed tricycles to ply their roads four times a week through a number coding scheme, provided that they only ferry one passenger. A fare matrix has already been defined by the LGU to ensure that transport fares are not jacked-up.
Interestingly, ferryboats to and from Binangonan’s 17 island barangays are temporarily grounded.
“Base sa masusing pag aaaral ng ating kasalukuyang kalagayan dito sa Binangonan, napagkasunduan ng IMT, Covid Task Force, PNP at Sangguniang Bayan na tayo ay magkakaroon ng Coding Scheme sa pamamasada ng mga TRICYCLE upang hindi naman tuluyang maparalisa ang ating pang araw-araw na pamumuhay pagdating sa nasabing pamamaraan ng pampublikong transportasyon,” says Ynares in a Facebook post.
Quarantine pass is also now a must for residents but only for essential purposes even as he noted that the LGU already has a digital system in place – ePalengke to buy market essentials and eBotika for medical needs. The public market operates on limited hours.
Ynares also hinted on the return of checkpoints in all their 40 barangays adding that curfew hours would still be enforced from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.