MANILA (UPDATE) - Bacolod City will start implementing the Home Quarantine Pass System and Border Control on Sunday, Sept. 6, to prevent the local spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Executive Order No. 58 signed by Mayor Evelio Leonardia on Monday states that the HQP and border control will be in effect until Sept. 19.
The LGU will print the HQPs and distribute it to barangay officials, who in turn, will give it to households for free. It will be used when going out to buy food, medicines and other essential products and services.
Each household will be issued an HQP primarily to a member at least 21 years old and above. But it may be passed on to a maximum of three qualified members of the same household whose names shall be written at the back portion of the pass.
However, only one of the authorized holders will be allowed out to use the pass.
Identified vulnerable persons shall not be issued HQP unless their presence is indispensable at work, in the exercise of their profession, or if they live alone.
The LGU added that the HQP shall not be used as a travel pass.
HQP holders ending in odd numbers may leave their households on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Those with HQP ending in even numbers are allowed out on Tuesdays, Thursday and Saturdays.
No HQP holders shall be permitted to leave their households on Sundays.
Meanwhile, essential workers from the government, and medical and private sector employees permitted to operate during the quarantine period are exempted from the home quarantine.
Those who need to buy essential goods and medicines and residents requiring medical consultations, treatments and therapies will also be allowed out.
The police and its force multipliers will be deployed to establish and maintain check-up points during the said period to regulate the entry and exit of Bacolod residents and those from out of town.
Last week, the city restricted the movement of people for 4 days to give way to mass testing following a spike in local transmission of COVID-19 that overwhelmed its health care system.
The mayor was granted emergency authority under City Ordinance 937 to extend the HQP for 14 days if needed, upon consultation with the LGU’s emergency committee, as well as close borders and establish checkpoints to restrict the movement of people.
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu met with local officials on Tuesday and emphasized that priority should be given to barangays with high number of virus cases.
Data from the City Health Office showed that the 10 barangays with the highest number of cases are: Estefania with 100; Taculing, 77; Villamonte, 65; Banago, 62; Mansilingan and Mandalagan, both with 61 cases; Alijis, 55; Tangub, 46; Bata, 39 cases; and Garanda, 38.
As of Sept. 1, Bacolod City has 1,315 confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which, 746 are active. Of the total, 543 have recovered and 26 succumbed to the disease.
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