ILOILO City – Today, motorboats ferrying passengers and cargoes from this city to the island province of Guimaras and vice versa resume their trips.
To ensure that health safety protocols are followed such as the wearing of facemask and physical distancing, Mayor Jerry Treñas is deploying “compliance officers” at the Parola and Ortiz wharves. Yesterday afternoon, he issued Executive Order (EO) No. 078 for this.
The EO also covers other seaports in the city, and land transport terminals.
Treñas suspended motorboat trips to Guimaras on May 19 because people were not observing safety protocols designed to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Who are the compliance officers? These are the personnel of the following city government bodies:
* Boardinghouse Commission
* Task Force on Internet Online Service Gaming Center, Anti-Piracy and Pornography
* Sports Development Office
* Task Force on Morals and Values Formation
* Task Force on Anti-Squatting and Illegal Structures
* Business Permits and Licensing Office
* Barangay Affairs Office
* Green Guards
They would be stationed in the following points:
* seaports – Parola wharf, Fort San Pedro Wharf, Ortiz wharf, Iloilo City Commercial Port Complex (Loboc), Iloilo-Bacolod Terminal (Lapuz), roll on, roll off wharf (Lapuz)
* land transport terminals – Mohon terminal (Arevalo), Hibao-an terminal (Mandurriao), Megworld terminal (Mandurriao), Ungka terminal (Jaro), Tagbak terminal (Jaro), Ceres terminal (Jaro), Ticud terminal (La Paz), Baldoza terminal (La Paz)
Treñas announced the resumption of trips after issuing yesterday EO No. 078, which also spelled out the general duties of the compliance officers. These were the following:
* show courtesy at all times, but seek the assistance of police officers if necessary to enforce laws and ordinances relative to COVID-19.
* ensure that all persons, while in public, always wear facemask to prevent droplets from escaping and possibly infecting others
* ensure strict observance to physical distancing between people (at least one meter apart)
* ensure that passengers and drivers observe the “no mask, no ride policy”
* ensure that all persons present valid identification cards when purchasing liquor
* implement ordinances relative to the prevention of the spread of COVID-19
* issue citation tickets to violators
Treñas drew up specific guidelines for seaports pursuant to Department of Transportation guidelines for areas under general community quarantine.
The passenger capacity in ships and other passenger vessels shall be reduced to 50 percent.
Upon entering the port premises, all individuals must fill-out health protocol forms.
Mandatory checking of body temperature will also be conducted on ship passengers boarding and disembarking.
Social distancing shall be strictly observed.
To maintain cleanliness and sanitation, disinfecting facilities must be established (at all entrances of terminals) such as foot baths and hand-washing stations. These must have readily available alcohol, soap and water.
Wearing of personal protective equipment (facemask or face shield, etc.) is mandatory.
To ensure that premises are regularly cleaned and sanitized, thorough disinfection of ships, passenger vessels, ports terminal, and facilities as well as various equipment will be conducted regularly.
Information dissemination on hygiene and sanitary practices will be shown to passengers through different media platforms./PN
