By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – The province of Negros Occidental will shift to General Community Quarantine(GCQ) starting April 20,2020 from an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) which was imposed since March 30,2020 in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19.
The shift took effect after Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson signed Executive Order No. 2020-20B.
The EO stated that during the ECQ to the present, there has been no reported local transmission of COVID-19 in the 12 cities and 19 municipalities in the province, therefore it is safe to plan the transition from ECQ to GCQ.
It is also stated that in a consultative meeting attended by the local chief executives of the province it was agreed that a transition plan had to be established.
Lacson said that by April 20, it will have been 22 days since the start of the ECQ in Negros Occidental, and as of Thursday, the Provincial Incident Management Team reported that there has been no new COVID-19 case in the province.
“After safeguarding the health and safety of every Negrense, it is now time to look after the economic and financial welfare of everyone affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Negros Occidental,” he added.
Lacson said that effective April 20, operations of all public utility vehicles are still suspended except for tricycles, e-tricycles and trisikads.
Tricycles will be allowed a maximum of three passengers, and trisikads and e-tricycles can only ferry one passenger.
He also said that Local Government Units through their Traffic Management Authorities should device schemes to allow only 50 percent of public transport franchises to operate daily, and in all instances physical distancing should be observed by the driver and the passengers.
The EO also said that all government and private construction projects will be allowed to resume, and hardware stores to open and conduct business.
The administrative staffs of public and private schools in Negros Occidental were also directed to resume their work but should maintain a skeletal workforce of 50 percent of their regular employees.
Determination of curfew hours and limitation of movement of high risk groups, which include senior citizens and minors, shall be left to the discretion of local chief executives.
In order to preserve the health and safety of all Negrenses against the COVID-19 pandemic, the executive order also stated that everyone will have to observe strict home quarantine, mandatory 14-day quarantine for returning residents of Negros Occidental, and heightened patrols at seaports and borders to prevent the illegal entry of persons into the province.
The closure of borders, ports and airports in Negros Occidental, and the mandatory use of face masks will remain in full force and effect.
