DAVAO CITY – To help the business community recover from the onslaught of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic next year, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte has assured that the local government of Davao will avoid constantly changing the implementation of health protocols to avoid confusion and the disruption of the economy.
Duterte, in an interview over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5), assured local businesses that the enforcement of health regulations will be more stable as changing them arbitrarily could be “disastrous to businesses.”
She said a city-wide lockdown will be a last-ditch effort to contain the outbreak.
She said the city does not want to keep the city open only to close later on to stem the spread of the infection.
“We want to make it stable in a way that protocols are consistent, so that people will not get confused. We want to assure businesses, offices, and establishments that the lockdown will be used only when it is necessary,” she said.
The city reverted to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) from Modified GCQ last November 20 to 30, and has been extended until the end of this year.
To restrict non-essential movements of the locals, the mayor reimposed the 24/7 liquor ban and 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew last October 15. Effective November 20, the curfew was revised to 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. while Roxas Night Market was temporarily closed.
Food and medicine pass was restored on November 17, with a subsequent passage of an ordinance at the City Council of Davao last December 15, which sets the guidelines for its implementation and prescribes penalties against violators.
As of December 21, Department of Health-Davao reported a total of 11,592 COVID-19 cases in the region, with 1,915 active, 9,219 recoveries, and 458 deaths.
Of the total cases, Davao City reported 8,159, Davao de Oro 575, Davao del Norte 1,391, Davao del Sur 832, Davao Occidental 122, and Davao Oriental 513.