Esplanade, public plazas in Iloilo City closed by 9 pm

The Esplanade and public plazas in Iloilo City will be closed by 9 pm to limit the movement of the public amid the extended General Community Quarantine (GCQ) imposed on the city in the entirety of December 2020.

Mayor Jerry Treñas issued Executive Order (EO) No. 197 on Dec 4, 2020 providing additional measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the metro.

The EO extends the effectivity of GCQ in Iloilo City from Dec 1 to 31, pursuant to the memorandum issued by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, according to Treñas.

Under the EO, curfew for minors will be imposed from 8 pm to 4 am, two hours longer than the original time of 10 pm to 4 am.

Movement of vulnerable sectors such as persons more than 65 years old, pregnant women, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and persons with co-morbidities shall also be limited in accessing their basic needs and medicines.

The EO also prescribes the opening hours for the Esplanade and public plazas within the city from 5 am to 9 pm daily

According to Jeck Conlu, spokesperson of the Iloilo City COVID-19 Team, the closure of all public plazas and the Esplanade aims to limit the movement of the public and prevent minors from gathering in plazas.

“Nakit-an naton nga daw kadamo na gid sang mga tawo kag pami-pamilya nga galinagaw sa aton na mga plazas. While we understand na part na ini sa aton pagrecover kag para man ni sa ila nga mental health pero kinahanglan i-limit gihapon naton ang aton paglagaw,” Conlu said.

For one, Conlu said over 200 individuals were issued citation tickets in Molo Plaza following their non-compliance to the minimum health standards required in public spaces.

Conlu said tanods, police and compliance officers will oversee the operations of the Esplanades and public plazas in the metro and ensure that protocols will be followed by the public. (ERS)