City, province beef up COVID-19 measures

By Jennifer P. Rendon and Joseph B.A. Marzan

The city and province of Iloilo beefed up measures against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) following the confirmation of the first positive case in the province.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas announced Saturday changes to Executive Order No. 55, which imposed the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), specifically on the transportation sector.

Treñas said that once the curfew begins at 8 p.m, taxis, tricycles, and trisikads will no longer be allowed to ferry passengers in the city, except when delivering food and other essential goods and for emergency purposes.

Drivers, however, need to bring ID cards and quarantine passes from their respective barangays which they must present in checkpoints.

“We do not want our capacity to produce food to be affected by this. Our [Iloilo City Emergency Response] will be available 24/7 upon request, especially for those who need to be taken to the hospital or need a check-up even in the evening,” Treñas said.

To address the lack of mass transportation, 30 buses with clearances from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), as well as one bus and three e-jeepneys owned by the City Government will be deployed during the ECQ which runs until April 14.

Treñas said express lanes are provided at checkpoints for vehicles delivering food, medicine, and medical supplies.

“We just wish for everyone’s understanding. This is a fast-evolving situation and we have to move fast, act fast, and decide fast. That is why I am always coordinating with Governor [Defensor] and [DOH Regional Director] Dr. [Marlyn] Convocar,” Treñas said.

 

ONE PERSON PER HOUSEHOLD

The one person per household travel rule will also be strictly implemented starting today, March 22.

Treñas announced that families must secure a Home Quarantine Pass from their respective barangays.

Iloilo City Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) Director Jeck Conlu said persons who travel within the city must present their Home Quarantine Pass together with their IDs at checkpoints.

“This protocol for a Home Quarantine Pass to be issued is already in place throughout the country. This should be issued by their respective barangays. Every household has to have one,” Conlu said.

Conlu clarified the situation for different household setups, such as multiple families in one household and non-resident students stranded in the city.

“For our stranded students, they can still go home if they are from [Iloilo] Province because [Governor Defensor] still allows that and provincial jeepneys are still operational. If you are in your boarding house, you can still approach your barangay and inform them that you are a boarder and where your boarding house is so they may issue individual passes. Per family, it would be one pass. I appeal to our barangay officials to be strict with implementation, because starting Monday, if you don’t have a pass, you will be rejected,” Conlu said.

Conlu said that persons who work in essential services will be allowed without a Home Quarantine Pass, although the City Government is considering the issuance of the passes to workers because of the possibility that some them might be Persons Under Monitoring (PUMs).

PUMs are persons with no signs and symptoms of COVID-19 but have travel history to infected areas or may have been exposed to infected persons.

 

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Conlu encouraged residents to ride a bike or walk.

“I am appealing to the residents, maybe to ride a bike so they can feel the peacefulness of the city, or if they need to go to the market, just walk to the national roads and ride the bus because they are the only vehicles allowed for public transport and tricycles will not be allowed to bring you there,” Conlu said.

Conlu added that tricycles, trisikads and motorcycles may still be used, but they cannot ferry or bring passengers.

“If you’re a tricycle or a sikad driver and you need to go to the grocery or the supermarket, you can use your tricycle or sikad, provided you won’t have anyone riding in the sidecar. Motorcycles are also allowed provided there is only one rider,” Conlu said.

Iloilo Provincial Governor Art Defensor Jr. clarified the difference between the Executive Orders of the City and Provincial Governments, particularly on the temporary ban of public transport.

“We didn’t suspend public transport because it is different [on our side]. What [Iloilo] City imposes, we respect that because we are one. Why our order is different, there are circumstances that there are many frontline workers who work in the town centers, and there are also some frontline workers who live in places such as Cabatuan and Zarraga who work in Iloilo City. Also, some barangays are 30 to 40 kilometers away from the town centers. This is the first time we are doing this enhanced community quarantine where we have to make adjustments, and part of those adjustments is that we have to level with Iloilo City so that our implementation is equitable,” Defensor said.

Conlu said the express lanes are already in place in five entry points of the city.

“We are using three lanes entering the city, and one lane for exit. Trucks have one express lane, and for emergencies, we allow counterflow for ambulances and law enforcement vehicles that need to respond quickly,” Conlu said.

 

‘RUMOR-MONGERING’

Treñas called out persons who spread information on COVID-19 cases via social media before the national and local governments can confirm.

“When you receive these kinds of information, keep them to yourself first, and wait for the respective authorities to confirm. Those who are releasing this without authority are doing a disservice to the city because they are giving anxiety to the people. You are not giving due to our officials who are working to keep order. This is not a contest or a race and you are just causing panic,” Treñas said.

Treñas said those who continue to spread unconfirmed information on social media will be arrested and charged for “rumor-mongering.”

Treñas also called out those who keep their travel history from their doctors.

“We have to trust our doctors and nurses because they are the people on the frontlines. If they become compromised, they cannot serve us when we are the ones who become sick, that’s why we can’t be shy when we need to be checked or when we feel some symptoms. We only have a few doctors and nurses, and if we don’t tell them the truth, they can’t provide us with the proper protection,” Treñas said.

 

ASSURANCE

Treñas reminded barangays who are doing relief efforts to enforce the social and physical distancing policy.

“We assure the barangays, who are already roving, that once we have the stocks for these food supplies, we will be distributing it to them. We would just like to remind them to please observe our social distancing policy. It would be better if we go house to house to hand out the goods,” Treñas said.

Treñas reassured the people that the national and local governments are present for this emergency.

“I want to reassure the people that I am here, Governor Art [Defensor] is here, the DOH is here, the [Philippine National Police] is here, and we are on top of the situation,” Treñas said.