MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews / 17 March) – The entire province of Bukidnon has been placed on general community quarantine effective 10 p.m. of March 17 to “prevent the spread and contain the transmission” of the dreaded coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Executive Order 2020-13 issued Tuesday by Governor Jose Maria R. Zubiri Jr. did not specify when the quarantine would end.
“The movement of residents in the entire province shall be limited to accessing basic necessities and reporting for work while uniformed personnel, health and/or quarantine officers shall be present at border points.
“The residents are required to stay at home especially the elderly and those suffering from chronic cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cancers, and those taking steroids and other immunocompromised persons,” the EO said.
It added the entry to and exit from the province “shall be restricted except for health workers, authorized government officials, those traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons, persons transiting to other provinces for essential and authorized travel, persons providing basic services and public utilities, labor and workforce and members of the press.”
The EO further required all people entering the province to present valid IDs, contact numbers and travel history, and to submit themselves to checkup for symptoms of the disease in accordance with Department of Health protocols and guidelines.
Businesses shall remain open with the exception of resorts, swimming pools, parks, other recreation facilities, cockpits, barbershops and beauty parlors, movie houses, billiard halls, playgrounds, sports facilities, internet cafes, bars and beerhouses and other entertainment and amusement sites, it said.
Classes in all levels have been suspended indefinitely, overriding the earlier declarations by the local governments of Malaybalay City and Valencia suspending classes until March 28 and March 29, respectively.
Valencia has been placed on community quarantine starting Monday.
The EO also prohibited all conventions and seminars and other gatherings with large number of participants except for activities related to COVID-19 control and peace and order.
But it left to the discretion of cities and municipalities the imposition of curfews, skeletal or flexible workforce in private establishments, prohibition of dine-ins in restaurants and carenderias, and restriction on weddings, birthdays and attendance in wakes and funerals.
“The hoarding and overpricing of basic commodities is strictly prohibited,” it said.
It said legal actions will be taken against persons who would disobey or resist any provision of the order or create and spread “fake news” that will endanger public health and security.
On Tuesday afternoon, work was suspended at the provincial capitol in Malaybalay to allow health workers to disinfect its buildings and premises. (H. Marcos C. Mordeno/MindaNews)