ILOILO City – The local governments of this city, Iloilo and Aklan provinces are imposing travel restrictions in an effort to keep their areas free from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) if not slow down its transmission.
In Iloilo City, Mayor Jerry Treñas’ executive order (EO) issued yesterday takes effect today. It prohibits the “non-essential entry of persons travelling by sea” until April 14.
“Around the Philippines, the COVID-19 situation continues to grow rapidly,” Treñas explained.
EO No. 050 identifies the following as “non-essential entry”:
* people travelling by sea from Metro Manila (and its cities), Batangas seaport through the roll-on/roll-off ports
* people travelling by sea who, prior to entering Iloilo City, can be shown to have come from the 120 countries identified by the World Health Organization as having cases of COVID-19
“Please note that the border restriction for air travel is under the jurisdiction of Iloilo province and they have already closed the borders,” said Treñas.
The Iloilo Airport is located in Cabatuan, Iloilo.
Immune-compromised people or those who are at a higher risk of being infected by COVID-19 (such as senior citizens, children, and pregnant women) are also listed in the EO as “non-essential entry”.
“They shall be subjected to the protocols, decision tools and triages issued by accredited health authorities, and escorted to their respective residences for voluntary home quarantine,” read the EO.
Treñas also announced that the two-week cancellation of classes in all levels – which starts today – will be extended until April 14 instead of March 31.
“All students are required to stay at home and be safe to prevent the spread of the virus,” he said.
Treñas tasked the Iloilo City Police Office, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine Coast Guard to enforce the border restriction.
Cargo ships will be allowed to enter Iloilo City, Treñas said, subject to the guidelines from the Department of Health’s (DOH) Bureau of Quarantine.
However, the crew or passengers of the cargo ships or vessels cannot be allowed to disembark, the EO stressed.
“I know this is hard,” said Treñas, but “a little sacrifice now will save lives tomorrow.”
So who can enter Iloilo City?
Treñas classified them as “essential entry”. These are the following:
* health workers
* authorized government officials
* those travelling for medical or humanitarian reasons
* persons providing basic services and public utilities
* essential skeletal workforce
* those coming from the provinces of Iloilo, Capiz, Antique, Aklan, and Guimaras who have been tested, cleared and declared by accredited authorities as COVID-19 negative
* returning residents of Iloilo City who have been tested, cleared and declared by accredited authorities as COVID-19 negative; and
* other such persons who may be defined, identified or cleared or allowed by the accredited health authorities as COVID-19 negative
In a clarification issued to Panay News last night regarding the COVID-19 test clearance that would be required from those entering the city, Treñas stated: “The EO was crafted in preparation to having test kits.”
There are no COVID-19 test kits yet in the city.
While waiting for the test kits, according to Treñas, “we could ask those entering Iloilo City to undergo screening and filing up health cards.”
Antique’s Gov. Rhodora Cadiao on Saturday ordered the shutting of her province’s borders for two weeks. She described it as a “lockdown.”
Those from Bacolod City and Negros Occidental were also not included in the “essential entry” classification to prevent them from entering Iloilo City. There is already a confirmed COVID-19 case in Dumaguete City in nearby Negros Oriental – a town councilor who died yesterday.
Treñas said those who will violate the EO will be slapped with administrative or criminal charges, or both.
“We are together in this fight and if we work together, together we will win. I will do my best to protect all of you but please follow all the rules and guidelines,” said Treñas.
GENERAL COMMUNITY QUARANTINE IN ILOILO PROVINCE
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. issued a travel restriction EO, too, yesterday as part of a “general community quarantine” imposed over the entire province.
It encouraged “rationalized/flexible work arrangements in the private sector” and ordered the suspension of classes in all levels until April 14.
According to Defensor, the travel restriction aims to “further strengthen the imposition of quarantine procedures and disease prevention and control measures.”
“Effective immediately” until April 14, the travel restriction exempts only the following:
* government officials and employees travelling in the performance/pursuit of their functions
* medical personnel and health workers who shall be performing functions in relation to COVID-19 in the province
* residents of Iloilo City travelling therefrom and into the province
* returning residents of Iloilo provided that they shall only have until March 17, 2020 to enter the province
Defensor enjoined common carriers to advice persons intending to travel to Iloilo about the restriction; refuse issuance of any public transport contract/ticket; and/or refuse boarding on public transport, in so far as applicable.
Moreover, persons travelling on common carriers and/or transport for the conduct of trade, delivery of social/humanitarian services, fishing/marine activities, and other essential purposes will be dealt with pursuant to Republic Act (RA) 11332 (Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Disease and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act) and RA 9271 (Quarantine Act of 2004).
“Persons who enter the province in violation of the restriction shall be placed under quarantine for 14 days pursuant to the COVID-19 decision tool,” the EO further read.
AKLAN, TOO
The travel restriction (sea and air) EO of Gov. Florencio Miraflores becomes effective today until April 15.
Only the following can enter Aklan:
* Aklanons
* persons involve in the delivery of goods and commodities
* medical doctors working in the province
* national government officials and employees, members of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Coast Guard, and medical practitioners deployed to Aklan
* returning medical personnel who accompanied patients needing immediate medical care outside the province
* returning officials or employees of the provincial, municipal and barangay governments
Miraflores also suspended classes – all levels – in public and private schools from March 16 to April 15.
The City of Roxas in Capiz province announced yesterday it would also be imposing travel restrictions./PN
