Capiz shifts to general quarantine on May 1

By Felipe V. Celino 

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – The province of Capiz will be downgraded from the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) to general community quarantine (GCQ) come May 1, 2020.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on April 28 that the National Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (NIATFMEID) downgraded the lockdown status of Capiz to GCQ starting Friday.

Capiz Governor Esteban Evan Nonoy Contreras said on Monday that the province will await the decision of the NIATFMEID on the province’s status amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The governor met the Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force) at the Capiz Gym along with mayors of the province and Roxas City to determine the status of the province.

Most of the mayors and members of the task force want to return to normalcy as there are no more COVID-19 cases in the province.

Although there are some persons under monitoring, the Capicenos are eager to return to normalcy.

Some of the guidelines under the GCQ is the observance of ‘minimum health standards’ such as social distancing and wearing of face mask.

Other guidelines include:

1. Selected workers in non-essential services are allowed to go to work.

• • • electronics
    • exports
    • manufacturing
    • e-commerce
    • delivery
    • repair services
    • maintenance
    • housing

2. Half of the employees work from home, 50 percent are working on site:

• • • Finance
    • Business process outsourcing (BPO)
    • Non-leisure trade and service

3. Will remain CLOSED:

• • • Schools
    • Amusement centers
    • Leisure facilities
    • Gaming
    • Tourism services

4. NOT permitted to leave the house:

• • • Children (0 to 20 years old)
    • Elderly (60 years old and above)
    • People with high-risk health issues

5. ONLY shops catering to NECESSITIES will be allowed to re-open in malls. Malls will limit the entry of shoppers.
6. Airconditioning will be limited in malls. WIFI will not be provided. NO loitering allowed.
7. Priority construction projects can resume
8. Nonworkers can buy food and go out to avail of essential services

• • • Allowed will be people who are 21 to 59 years old.
    • EXCEPT again: children, elderly, vulnerable people

9. Public transport can operate at reduced capacity.
10. Local government units shall ENFORCE CURFEW for nonworkers.
11. Airports and ports can only operate for the unhampered DELIVERY OF GOODS.