By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – Mayor Evelio Leonardia issued Executive Order No. 56 early Tuesday morning, placing the city under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) from Sept 1- 30, 2020.
The reversion to GCQ status from General Modified Community Quarantine was pursuant to the pronouncement of the National Inter-Agency Task Force against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The EO said that the “unfortunate but indispensable reversal of MGCQ to GCQ is intended to slow down the rate of local transmissions.”
City Health Office records showed that Bacolod City has breached the 1,000-case mark in the number of COVID cases and topped Western Visayas in the number of infections.
In a televised announcement on Aug 31, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Bacolod City shall be placed under GCQ because of the spike in local transmission of COVID-19 apart from the fact that hospitals and health care facilities for COVID-19 patients in the city are now filled up.
Leonardia also issued Executive Order No. 57 series of 2020 imposing the Home Quarantine Pass policy to further contain the spread of the virus.
Leonardia said he was authorized to issue EO 57 by City Ordinance No. 937 series of 2020 which granted him “emergency authority” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the GCQ the PNP and component force multipliers shall resume and reactivate check-up points within the city and along the city’s borders starting September 3 to 15, 2020.
Maintenance of check-up points beyond September 15, 2020 shall be subject to evaluation and adjustment as circumstances may warrant.
