By Jerry Alcayde
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro – The provincial government of Oriental Mindoro imposed a voluntary community quarantine in the entire province, Saturday, prohibiting the entry of all persons, regardless of their origin and mode of travel as its bold move to prevent the entry and spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito A. Dolor said the restriction took effect at 12:01 p.m. Saturday, March 14, and will last until March 25.
Dolor emphasized that under Executive Order No. 22, travel going outside the province will not be restricted. But once they leave the province, they will no longer be allowed to return to the province during the duration of the restriction mandated by the order.
Persons not covered by the executive order are medical doctors employed in any hospital in the province, national government officials and employees, as well as Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel deployed in the province for anti-COVID19 campaign, as well as returning medical personnel who accompanied patients for medical care outside the province.
Also exempted are returning officials or employees of the provincial, city and municipal government who travelled outside the province upon orders of the secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) or Office of the President for purposes of preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Under the executive order, all exempted persons shall still be required to undergo the required health protocols laid down by the government.
The delivery of goods and commodities like foods, fuels, medicines, animal food, and construction materials will still be allowed entry but the drivers and helpers of the delivery trucks will only be allowed inside the port of Calapan City, and they will not be permitted to go outside the port premises.
Fuel haulers are allowed to travel to their point of destination provided that drivers and helpers shall remain only inside their vehicles and after unloading their fuel cargoes they must immediately return to their port of origin.
The governor likewise suspended classes in all levels, in public and private schools starting tomorrow, March 16 until March 25.
Sabong or cockfight activities will also be suspended during the entire duration of the community quarantine.
All provincial government offices, except government-run hospitals, provincial detention centers, civil security unit, social welfare offices and disaster units shall implement a compressed work week of 40 hours per week in four days.
The total ban on entry of people shall be implemented on all vessels coming from Batangas port going to Puerto Galera and Calapan pier, and from Marinduque to Pinamalayan, from Romblon and Caticlan to Dangay port in Roxas town and from San Jose and Magsaysay, Occidental Mindoro thru nautical highway.
The quarantine was imposed due to proximity of Oriental Mindoro to Batangas where two positive cases of COVID-19 were reported, said Dolor.