CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – Four days after putting the Bukidnon under quarantine, Governor Jose Maria Zubiri put the entire province under lockdown effective Saturday midnight as a measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
The governor made this order which was posted on his Facebook page late on Friday evening, advising that non-residents of Bukidnon are barred from entering the province.
“Those who are not residents of the province will no longer be allowed to enter Bukidnon. This is to strengthen the community quarantine that is already in place and to prevent the spread of Covid-19,” reads a part of the document.
Exempted from the order are health workers who are responding to an emergency, government officials or employees whose travel to Bukidnon is in relation to monitoring Covid-19; organizations on a humanitarian mission such as the Philippine Red Cross; and persons delivering supplies like food and medicine.
Persons who enter the province are required to show their identification card at the quarantine checkpoint situated on the province’s borders.
The governor also imposed a self-quarantine for 14 days starting March 17.
Zubiri’s decision could affect the harmonized quarantine for Region 10 or Northern Mindanao that was proposed by Cagayan de Oro Mayor Oscar Moreno.
Moreno’s proposed a coordinated implementation of quarantine checkpoints involving the local governments of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental to save or resources and ensure operational efficiency.
Moreno’s proposal for a unified checkpoint intends to harmonize the operation of the police and medical personnel manning the checkpoints.
Misamis Oriental Governor Yevgeny Vincente Emano and mayors of the province have committed to cooperate with the Cagayan de Oro City government in the imposition of the quarantine.
Earlier, the entire Davao region has declared a lockdown following the formation of Task Force Covid-19 Davao Region composed of governors of Davao and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.(davaotoday.com)
