BORDER CONTROL: WV goes hard vs COVID-19 spread

By Jennifer P. Rendon and Emme Rose Santiagudo

Local governments units (LGUs) in Western Visayas have imposed measures to prevent the entry of the coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) in the region.

These measures range from banning the travelers from Metro Manila and other areas with positive COVID-19 case to border restrictions.

Day by day, several executive orders were issued, as the country braced for the impact of the COVID-19 scare.

As more positive cases and even deaths, were reported, more guidelines were issued by local governments, if only to spare their respective areas from being infected.

Local executives in Panay met over the weekend to discuss further ways to maintain a COVID-free region.

The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) is expected to meet Monday to discuss the adoption of contingency plans in a worst case scenario.

These measures are on top of the issued by the national government and the Department of Health.

 

Antique’s border restrictions 

On Saturday, Antique province announced it would enforce community quarantine beginning March 17.

Governor Rhodora Cadiao said they would issue the guidelines today, March 16. She defended the move claiming that it’s just one of their measures to protect Antiqueños’ health and well-being.

Cadiao clarified, though, that the 14-day border restriction is not a lockdown but their pre-emptive drive because of the expected influx of visitors from other areas of the country, especially from Metro Manila.

Cadiao said the locals should finish all their personal business outside of the province on or before Monday as the province will close its borders starting on Tuesday.

“It is not a lockdown in Antique. This action is deemed necessary to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The safety of Antiqueños is of highest priority,” she said.

It added that “all those with medical needs will be provided assistance through the free medical assistance program of deputy speaker Loren Legarda and Governor Cadiao.”

 

Iloilo City’s temporary quarantine 

On Sunday, Treñas issued Executive Order No. 50 “suspending and prohibiting non-essential entry of persons traveling by sea within the city of Iloilo to contain the spread and/or local transmission of COVID-19 cases from March 16 at 12 midnight until April 14, 2020, and for other purposes.

“After a week-long of consultation and dialogue from the medical field, the business sector and government officials of the city and the provinces around Panay-Guimaras Island, I have decided, that for the best interest of all Ilonggos as a pre-emptive measure to curb and prevent the spread and/or local transmission of COVID-19 in Iloilo City, to suspend and prohibit the non-essential entry of persons travelling by sea within Iloilo City,” Treñas said in a Facebook post.

Passengers  travelling by sea coming from Metro Manila and those who prior to entering Iloilo City can be shown to have come from the 120 countries identified by WHO shall not be allowed entry.

Considered as essential persons/entry are:

• health care workers;
• authorized government officials;
• those traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons
• persons providing basic services and public utilities;
• essential skeletal workforce;
• those persons coming from the provinces of Iloilo, Capiz, Antique, Aklan, and Guimaras who have been tested, cleared, and declared by accredited health authorities as COVID-19/2018 nCOV ARD negative;
• returning residents of Iloilo City who have been tested, cleared, and declared by accredited health authorities as COVID-18/2019 nCOV ARS negative; and
• other such persons who have been defined, identified, cleared, or allowed by the accredited health authorized as COVID-19/nCOV ARD negative.

Treñas said entry of persons who do not belong to the above classification shall be classified as “non-essential entry” and shall be regulated as follows;

• those passengers from Metro Manila (and its cities), Batangas Seaport through its Roll-On/Roll-Off Ports shall not be allowed to enter Iloilo City from 16 March 2020 until midnight of April 14;
• Passengers traveling by sea, who prior to entering Iloilo City can be shown to come from the 120 countries identified by the World Health Organization as countries with incidence of patients with confirmed cases of COVID-19/nCOV ARD shall be prohibited entry into Iloilo City on March 16 until April 14;
• Passengers who may be immune-compromised persons, or those who are at risk of being infected by COVID-19/nCOV ARD (those above 60 years old, children, and pregnant women) shall be subjected to the protocols, decision tools, and triages, issued by the accredited health authorities and escorted to their respective residences for voluntary home quarantine for PUMs and to the designated hospitals for PUIs.

Clearances issued to persons tested, cleared, and declared by accredited health authorities as COVID-19/nCOV ARD shall be pursuant to protocols, decision tools and triages by the accredited health authorities.

The Iloilo City Health Office and the Department of Health DOH shall take the operational leadership in terms of providing timely updates of the development; as well as the applicability of any issuance of the DOH, WHO and the Inter Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

The PNP, AFP, and Philippine Coast Guard are called upon to ensure strict compliance with the said Executive Order, which involves the prohibition of non-essential entry of persons who travel by sea into Iloilo City for the said period.

Those who will break the protocols prescribed in this Executive Order or violate the same shall face appropriate administrative and criminal sanctions,” he said.

Treñas also designated the COVID-19 Task Force of Iloilo City that has been continuously holding barangay orientation on appropriate measures in response to the COVID-19 threat, including the checking of Persons Under Monitoring (PUMs) in their own barangays.

There is a continuous sanitizing activity in all barangays, and 9 additional medical doctors and 28 nurses will be employed to assist the COVID-19 Task Force and Iloilo City Health Office.

​“I have convened all the stakeholders involved in the City of Iloilo especially our representatives from DepEd, CHED, school administrators, university presidents, the business and private sector to centralize our efforts and response against the COVID 19 threat,” he said.

 

Community quarantine 

On Sunday morning, the Iloilo provincial government issued Executive Order No. 028-C relative to Travel and Boarder Restriction, Community Quarantine and Suspension of Classes relative to COVID-19, which shall take effect immediately.

The order imposed a restriction on the persons in Iloilo province until April 14, 2020, except for the following:

• Government officials and employees traveling in the performance/pursuit of their functions;
• Medical personnel and health workers/humanitarian workers who shall be performing functions in relation to COVID-19 in the province;
• Residents of Iloilo City traveling therefrom and into the province;
• Returning residents of the Province and Iloilo City, provided that they shall have until March 17, 2020 to enter the province.

“Concerned common carriers are hereby enjoined to advise persons intending to travel to the province of the restrictions; to refuse issuance of any public transport contract/ticket; and/or to refuse boarding on public transport, in so far as applicable.”

The executive order also noted that persons traveling into the province and/or transport for the conduct of trade, delivery of social/humanitarian services, fishing/marine activities, scientific/academic pursuit, and such other essential purposes, other than carriage of passengers, shall be dealt with pursuant to Republic Act No. 11332 or the “Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act,” RA No. 9271 or the “Quarantine Act of 2004c and such other applicable laws and regulations.

Persons who enter the province in violation of the above restriction shall be placed under quarantine for 14 days pursuant to COVID-19 Decision Tool, as of March 13, 2020.

The order also imposed “a general community quarantine over the province.”

“All local government units of the province shall abide by the directive of the DOH and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on the imposition of general community quarantine. Movement of the people in the province shall be limited to accessing basic necessities and work.”

Rationalized/flexible work arrangements are encouraged in the private sectors, provided that the same shall not affect the levels of product/work/services output.

For such purpose, advisories and guidelines of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) shall be followed.

All manufacturing, retail and service establishments are advised to remain opened in all cases, strict social distancing measures are required to be observed by the respective managements.

Classes in all level in the province are also suspended until April 14, 2020.

 

Capiz measures

Capiz Governor Nonoy Contreras issued Executive Order No. 008, declaring the suspension of classes at all levels of public and private schools in the province of Capiz, effective March 13, 2020.

Meanwhile, Mayor Ronnie Dadivas of Roxas City on Saturday said over his Facebook account that the city government is doing their best to put in place precautionary measures, implement necessary policies and guidelines.

However; “I must admit there are limitations to government manpower and resources,” he said.

On Sunday, Dadivas signed Executive Order No. 13 “establishing border security and quarantine protocols in the City of Roxas as a Preventive Measure against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).”

Under Section 1 (For Sea Public Transport), all seaports, wharfs and other point of entry in the City of Roxas shall be closed to all passenger vessels in the following territorial jurisdiction of Roxas City until further advice.

These include the Culasi Port, Banica Port, Libas Port, Brgy. Barra, Brgy. Cogon, Brgy. Punta Cogon, Brgy. Olotayan, Brgy. Baybay, Brgy. Talon, Brgy. Culajao, and Brgy. Tanza

Section 2 (For Land Public and Private Transport) of the executive order calls for all

“PUVs and private vehicles to undergo security and quarantine protocols in accordance with the rules established by the DOH, in the following territorial boundaries of Roxas City.”

These are located in Brgy Lonoy Tanod Outpost (Ivisan-Roxas City Boundary); Brgy Balijuagan Tanod Outpost (Ivisan-Roxas City Boundary); Brgy Banica Tanod Outpost (Panay-Roxas City Boundary); Brgy Milibili Tanod Outpost (Panay-Roxas City Boundary) ; Brgy Adlawan Tanod Outpost (Panitan-Roxas City Boundary); and Brgy Lawaan Tanod Outpost (Roxas City Terminal)

On March 12, Dadivas issued four executive orders, as part of the city’s precautionary measure against the spread of the Coronavirus.

These include:

• Strict compliance for 14-day self quarantine for all returning residents of the City as well as visitors with travel history to areas with CoVid-19 cases.
• Suspension of classes for ALL LEVELS in both public and private schools in the City of Roxas effective March 13, 2020 until further notice.
• Suspension of all major public gatherings in the City of Roxas.
• Termination of all Day Care Service Programs on March 13, 2020 and suspension of all moving up ceremonies

 

Aklan’s provincial quarantine

Aklan will also impose a provincial quarantine, as agreed by local executives of Aklan, municipal leaders, national agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the religious community.

Aklan Governor Joeben Miraflores is set to issue a corresponding executive order on the matter.

The order was apparently in support of President Rodrigo Duterte’s order of community quarantine in Metro Manila.

The provincial quarantine might mean that people who have travel history in Metro Manila and other areas where a COVID-19 positive case is reported might be banned entry to Aklan.

Aklanons who decide to go home will be placed under home quarantine and will be included in the Persons Under Monitoring (PUMs) list.

“By strictly following the advice for Home Quarantine, you can help stop the spread of coronavirus. It does not only prevent others from getting sick but it can also save people’s lives,” Miraflores said.

Authorities will also be strict on the entry and exit of people in Aklan boundaries except those who could present valid reasons.

It is also advised that tourists intending to go to world-renowned Boracay Island should postpone their travel if they came from an area with a Covid-19 positive case.

Prior to this, Miraflores also issued an executive order banning the holding of public events in Aklan.

 

Guimaras’ no entry order

Guimaras has also banned the entry of all tourists with travel history from areas with confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 20 days as per Executive Order Nos. 15 and 19 series of 2020.

Guimaras residents who came from Metro Manila and other areas which have local COVID-transmission may be allowed to enter provided that they shall undergo mandatory self-quarantine for 20 days under the supervision of the rural health unit concerned.

Also, the Provincial Government of Guimaras ordered the suspension of public or mass gatherings in the province through Executive Order No. 30 issued by Governor Samuel T. Gumarin due to COVID-19.

“Social events like sitio and barangay fiestas, benefit dances and Municipal Foundation Day public celebrations; rallies; public and private school activities in all levels and other similar gatherings are suspended,” it added.

 

Bacolod’s preventive efforts 

On March 14, Mayor Evelio Leonardia of Bacolod City issued several executive orders as precautionary measures against the entry of COVID-19 in the city.

EO No. 18, Series 2020 calls for the “suspension of mass gatherings and public events involving a large number of attendees until further notice.”

These include mass gatherings; social events (barangay fiestas, prayer rallies); school activities or gatherings (public or private); sports activities, amusement, entertainment that draw large crowd (cockfights, concerts); rallies or assemblies; and other similar activities.

EO No. 19 declared persons from abroad, Manila, and areas with local transmission as PUMs and requiring them to undergo 14-day home quarantine from date of arrival in Bacolod.

EO No. 20 called for the suspension of all classes, public and private, in all levels, until further notice.

 

Negros Occidental’s protocols 

The Negros Occidental provincial government has also adopted several protocols relative to Covid-19 prevention.

On Friday, March 13, an Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases (EREID)

meeting spearheaded by the Negros Occidental Provincial NCOV Task Force was held.

The synthesis and commitment agreed on include:

• All passengers coming from Metro Manila will be considered as PUMs and should undergo a 14-day home quarantine.
• Suspension for patient management will be disseminated by the Provincial Health Office (PHO)
• LGUs can independently issue their respective local executives orders
• Creation of a COVID hotline
• Identification of holding of quarantine areas
• Updated decision book will be issued by the DOH
• PHO will identify personal protective equipments (PPEs) suppliers for municipal/city health offices.
• DepEd recommends for early exam schedule and end of classes (March 20) in accordance with the decision of the local chief executives.

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson also signed the Executive Order No. 20-13 Series of 2020 Adopting Unified Protocols on Border and Intra-Province Control for COVID-19.

Foremost was that all passengers coming from Metro Manila will be considered as PUMs and will undergo a 14-day home quarantine as supervised by the PHO, in coordination with the component city or municipal health office where the PUM resides.

He also called for the suspension of major/public events.

The Governor also signed Executive Order No. 20-14 ordering the suspension of graduation and moving-up ceremonies until further notice for all levels in private and public schools in the municipalities and component cities of Negros Occidental.