Curfew will remain from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. and limiting mass gatherings to 30 percent of a venue’s capacity is strongly urged in Bacolod City amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases.
This was stressed by Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia in Executive Order No. 30 Series of 2021 issued on Monday, May 31, extending the Modified General Community Quarantine in Bacolod City to June 30.
However, with the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Bacolod City the mayor may issue an additional executive order imposing more stringent measures to prevent the spread of the virus, City Administrator Em Ang said.
The Department of Health on Monday classified Bacolod City as a high risk area for COVID-19.
Bacolod City had 121 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, June 1, for a total of 1,252 active cases, the DOH also reported.
The mayor met with infectious disease specialists on Sunday to listen to their recommendations, said Ang, who is also executive director of the Bacolod Emergency Operations Center.
The doctors stressed the need for the strict enforcement of penalties on health protocol violators, and for the banning of mass gatherings because many of those hit with COVID-19 had attended such activities, Ang said.
She also said COVID-19 has been hitting entire households, that is why those who test positive need to be extracted from their houses right away.
In EO 30, Leonardia said members of the vulnerable sector will still be required to remain in their residences at all times, except when indispensable under the circumstances for obtaining essential goods and services, or for work in permitted industries and offices.
Members of the vulnerable sector are any person below 15 years old, those over 65 years old, those with immunodeficiency, comorbidity, or other health risks regardless of age, and pregnant women.
For the period of this extended MGCQ, the selling of liquor in public places will continue to be allowed only from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., however, the selling and/or consumption of such in authorized public places will only be allowed from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., the EO said.
The city will also observe uniform travel protocols set by the national Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, the EO added.
In addition, all passengers arriving in Bacolod must present a negative RT-PCR test result which must have been obtained within 72 hours prior to and upon arrival in the city, an online BaCTrac registration, online Health declaration, SPass, Travel Coordination Permit and a valid personal ID, the EO added.
Transportation from the Bacolod-Silay Airport to an unloading point in Bacolod City will be provided by the Bacolod LGU.
During the period of this extended MGCQ, the proper wearing of face masks and face shields, hand sanitation practices, and social distancing in all public places and in public and private transport should continue to be strictly observed, the EO said.
All private offices may be allowed to operate between 50 percent to 100 percent of on-site capacity while encouraging work-from-home and other flexible work arrangements, where applicable, the EO said.
Similarly, offices of the Bacolod City government should operate at a minimum of 50 percent to 100 percent of its on-site capacity, in accordance with relevant rules and regulations issued by the Civil Service Commission, it added.*