DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Davao City has shifted into General Community Quarantine (GCQ) beginning Saturday, May 16, as recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) with some restrictions in place.
The GCQ started on May 16 and will last until May 31, unless doctors specializing in epidemiology and infectious disease recommends the re-implementation of ECQ if cases of Covid-19 will spike.
The city government released Executive Order No. 33 series of 2020 that outlines the guidelines of the GCQ.
The city will allow partial operations of various establishments and offices but, will limit public mobility due to existing Covid-19 cases in the city.
“GCQ doesn’t mean that there are no more problems, no more sickness. The GCQ means that there is still quarantine. Those who are allowed to go out are those for essential goods and services and those who are allowed to work,” said Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio in her regular program in Davao City Disaster Radio on Thursday.
The ban of trucks along highways is now lifted, while public utility vehicles are allowed to operate provided they implement physical distancing for passengers to stay one seat apart.
The city will also be providing free bus rides for workers.
The food and medicine (FM) pass will still be used to limit people to leave their homes. Pass holders will still follow the same schedule observed during the ECQ. FM passes with the last digits 1,3,5,7,9 can be used on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, while those holding last digits 0,2,4,6,8 can be used only on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday from 5 a.m to 9 p.m. FM pass cannot be used on Sunday.
Mayor Duterte said district clustering will now be lifted but advises the public to avoid areas which they will identify as “very high risk, high risk and medium risk” of Covid-19 infection.
The city also adjusted the curfew hours now set from 9 pm to 5 am, except for frontliners and workers of establishments allowed under GCQ. Liquor ban is still to be observed.
We markets will be close from 5 pm to give time for daily disinfection. Sari-sari stores are to close between 6 pm to 6 am.
The Department of Trade and Industry has released Memorandum 20-22 series of 2020 that identifies which sectors are allowed to operate and work.
Duterte-Carpio advises the public to follow quarantine protocols to combat the spread of the virus.
“We still need to be vigilant because there is no vaccine. There is still coronavirus everywhere that’s why we still need the new normal, the self-protection measures,” the mayor said. (davaotoday.com)
