The Muntinlupa City government said it will require vaccination cards or negative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results from people who want to visit city government offices.
Muntinlupa Administrator Engr. Allan Cachuela issued a memorandum ordering security personnel at Muntinlupa City hall and other local government offices to require visitors to show their vaccination cards or negative RT-PCR test.
“Please be advised that everyone, including elected officials and department heads, entering the City Government of Muntinlupa (CGM) facilities must be required to present their Vaccination ID with proof that they are fully vaccinated (1st and 2nd dose) or they can present an RT–PCR test result done within two (2) weeks,” according to the memo. The cost of the RT-PCR test will be at the visitor’s own expense.
This was implemented after Metro Manila mayors signed a resolution imposing restrictions on the movements of unvaccinated individuals.
Metro Manila is under Alert Level 3 from Jan. 3 to 15, according to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).
Muntinlupa active coronavirus disease (COVID-19 cases rose to 295 as of Jan. 3 from 152 on Jan. 2, or an increase of 143 cases or 94 percent. Muntinlupa only had five active cases last Dec. 20.
Meanwhile, employees found in violation of the order will be administratively sanctioned in accordance with the Civil Service Commission rules and regulations.
The Muntinlupa City Council is set to pass an ordinance on the mobility restrictions for unvaccinated individuals.
Muntinlupa CHO chief Dr. Juancho Bunyi urged the public to take extra caution and strictly follow the minimum public health protocols amid the increase in COVID-19 cases in the city.
Bunyi also appealed to city residents to get vaccinated as protection from the adverse effects of the virus.
He earlier advised the strengthening of contact tracers and barangay health emergency response teams (BHERTs) and strict implementation of mandatory quarantine of COVID-19 positive individuals to isolation facilities.
Under City Ordinance 2020-106, all COVID-19 cases including asymptomatic, mild, probable, suspected cases, and close contacts are mandated to undergo quarantine at home or in the city’s isolation facilities if requirements for home quarantine are not met as certified by CHO.
As of Jan. 3, Muntinlupa City has a total of 27,917 confirmed cases, 27,043 recoveries and 579 reported deaths.