Iloilo City prepares transition to ‘new normal’

The Iloilo City government is preparing to transition to the new normal following the lifting of restrictions and the consistent drop in COVID-19 cases.

According to the Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, he decided to lift some restrictions in the city to allow more economic activities in the city in preparation for the transition to the new normal.

“Waay na ta maobra kay teh kita ya mabal-an naton ang sitwasyon diri. Nagapanaog na gid ang cases ta and we really need to allow the economy to grow,” he said on Tuesday.

The mayor said he has not received a reply from the national Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to his letter appealing to lower the city’s alert level classification.

The city has been placed under Alert Level 3 from Feb 1 to 28, 2022 but the mayor appealed to lower the city’s classification citing the drop in new COVID-19 cases and the need to open the city’s economy.

Treñas then issued Executive Order No. 016 series of 2022 last week mandating the guidelines under the Alert Level 3 classification in the metro.

The EO did not provide any regulation on the curfew hours, thus repealing the previous 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew.

The city government also allowed the public consumption of alcoholic drinks.

Despite the lifting of restrictions, the mayor appealed to the public to continue observing health protocols.

“While naga-open kita because we want to allow more economic activities kinanglan gasunod gid kita sa aton minimum health protocols basi mabalik na naman kag mabudlayan kita,” he said. (DG)