LAOAG CITY (PNA) – Residents in Ilocos Norte will now have more time to engage in economic activities after curfew hours were shortened in the province.

In his latest public advisory, Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc on Tuesday said that new curfew hours from 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. will encourage people to enjoy the outdoors but with safety precaution.
The old curfew hours were from 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m., but this has affected some local businesses which opted to close between 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
"We must learn to live with the pandemic and ensure that safety measures will take place," he said.
As of October 12, Ilocos Norte has recorded a total of 125 cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), with 109 recoveries and one fatality.
For the governor, the latest data suggested that the province has succeeded in containing COVID-19 infection through lockdowns as a first response, improved contact tracing, expanded testing, border control, and quarantine measures.
"It’s a community effort and we are thankful to everyone especially our front-liners for working hand-in-hand and preparing for the worst-case scenario,” he said.
From a straight penalty of P5,000 for violating curfew hours, the provincial government through an amended ordinance has reduced the penalty to P1,000 for first offense, P2,000 for second offense, and a maximum of P5,000 for the third offense.