Pateros Mayor Miguel Ponce III has issued an executive order to implement Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases Resolution No. 104, which restricts travel and mass gatherings due to the rising number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in Metro Manila.
IATF’s Resolution No. 104, dated March 20, placed the provinces of Laguna, Cavite, Rizal and Bulacan under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) together with the National Capital Region (NCR).
As of March 20, Pateros had 2,280 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 2,107 recoveries, 40 deaths, and 133 active cases.
In his order, which will be in effect in Pateros from March 22 to April 4, Ponce has laid out the following rules, policies and guidelines:
• As provided in Municipal Ordinance 2021-08, curfew hours shall be from 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM. The following shall exempt from the curfew hours: Workers (while going to and corning from work), cargo vehicles and public transportation;
• The National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal, for purposes of the application of this Executive Order, shall be treated as one contiguous area. Only essential travel shall be allowed in and out of this area;
• Mass gatherings, including religious gatherings, shall be prohibited, Face to face meetings are highly discouraged and in lieu of these, virtual meetings are suggested. Weddings and baptism ceremonies and funeral services shall be strictly limited to 10 persons;
• Current operational capacities of essential and non-essential services/industries shall be maintained, subject to adherence to safety protocols and minimum public health standards, particularly in the prohibition on aggregation in communal areas such as pantries, canteens, etc. However, the private sector is enjoined to adopt similar working arrangements as those already in place in the Executive Branch of Government i.e. 30 percent 50 percent operational or on-site capacity, where applicable;
• Dine-in restaurants, cafes, and similar establishments shall be limited to delivery and take-out services. Delivery services of food shall be allowed on a 24-hour basis and shall be exempt from curfew hour. Outdoor or al fresco dining shall be allowed provided that additional engineering and administrative controls are put in place such as, but not limited to, placing acrylic or similar dividers, limiting to two (2) persons per table with appropriate seating arrangements (one-seat apart with diagonal configuration). Venue capacity of outdoor dine-in restaurants and cafes, personal care services shall be reduced to a maximum of 50 percent;
• The operations of the following establishments shall be suspended: Driving schools, cultural centers, traditional cinemas, video and interactive-game arcades, museums, archives, libraries, and cockfighting and cockpit operations, including in areas under MGCQ (Modified General Community Quarantine). Exception: Open-air tourist attractions;
• Home gatherings should be limited to immediate family members and households only. Receiving visitors at home is strongly discouraged. Wearing of face masks even at home for the elderly and the vulnerable and the rest of the household is strongly advised;
• The following persons are not allowed outside their residence: Below eighteen (18) years old; above sixty-five (65) years old except for outdoor non-contact sports and other forms of outdoor exercises; with immunodeficiency; comorbidity or other health risks; pregnant women (exceptions: when indispensable under the circumstance obtaining essential goods and services, and for work in their respective industries and offices); persons with disability (PWD) but allowed outdoors upon presentation of prescription from their physicians or presentation of PWD ID for their therapy, outdoor non-contact sports, and other forms of outdoor exercises;
• Public transportations such as buses, jeeps, vans, taxis and tricycles shall remain to be operational at such capacities and protocols in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and the local ordinances. Public transportation shall from time to time be checked for compliance with the required protocol such as contact tracing, wearing of mask, face shield, and social distancing among passengers and the presence of plastic barriers between passengers.
Ponce directed local agencies including the police, barangays, COVID-19 Task Force, and Bantay Bayan to implement the order.