By Glazyl Masculino BACOLOD CITY - Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson announced on Thursday, March 26,that he will be placing the entire province of Negros Occidental under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) starting March 30 until April 14. Lacson signed and issued Executive Order No. 20-20 as a precaution against the spread or local transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the province. As of March 23, the province has 8,976 persons under monitoring (PUMs) and 44 persons under investigation (PUIs), while in the provincial capital of Bacolod City, there are 1,526 PUMs, 25 PUIs, and one who has been tested positive for COVID-19. Lacson stated in the order that a strict home quarantine shall be observed in all households, movements shall be limited to accessing basic necessities, provision for food and essential health services shall be regulated, and there will be heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforcement quarantine procedures. The order stated that only those private establishments providing basic necessities and engaged such activities related to food and medical supplies like public markets, supermarkets, groceries, convenience stores, hospitals, medical clinics, pharmacies, drug stores, food preparation and delivery services, water-refilling stations, laundry services, manufacturing and processing plants of basic good products and medicines, banks, money transfer services, petroleum, water, energy companies, telecommunications supplies and facilities, business process outsourcing (BPOs), sugar centrals, including suppliers shall be open. In all these establishments, respective managements shall ensure the adoption of a strict skeletal workforce which shall not exceed 25 percent of their regular plantilla to support the operations, Lacson said. He added that essential businesses and industries shall provide their workers with living quarters in their respective workplaces during the entire period of the quarantine. Also stated in the order the closure of borders, ports, and airports in the provinces, as well as the suspension of mass transportations, including all operations of public utility vehicles like buses, jeepneys, taxis, v-hire vans, tricycles, e-tricycles, and pedicabs, and other similar forms. Based on the governor's order, the Philippine Coast Guard shall enforce no sail policy to all domestic vessels and motorized bancas from March 21 to April 14. Only cargoes and fishing and government vessels are allowed to sail and enter the ports of the province for the purpose of transport of basic good supplies, and other logistic material. The crew must stay on board the vessel. Delivery of all cargoes within the province shall not be delayed while under ECQ. During the ECQ, local government units LGUs) through their local social welfare and development office are mandated to assist their needy constituents and displaced workers especially daily wage earners, no work no pay workers, during the quarantine period or state of calamity. They are directed to adopt a house to house distribution of relief packages. LGUs are authorized to use their quick response fund in accordance with the rules and regulations provided under the law. Meanwhile, the provincial government will also grant ECQ passes to the management and employees of essential businesses authorizing them to transport products withing the boundaries of their respective cities and municipalities. A household quarantine pass shall also be issued to one per household, authorizing him or her to leave their residence solely for the purpose of buying food, medicines, and other basic necessities. A household quarantine pass shall be used by one per household and shall be signed and issued by the barangay captain. Persons authorized outside their residence are those employed by establishments mentioned above, provided they shall carry with them at all times valid government issued Identification (ID) cards purposes. These include government employees of LGUs and national government offices, private, medical service providers, employees of funeral services and immediate family of the deceased, emergency responders, peace and security officers, delivery personnel and drivers of food and good cargo, industrial construction supplies, drugs, medical supplies and equipment, and veterinary supplies. Also allowed outside their residences are key officials, employees of utilities, gasoline attendants, sanitation personnel, garbage collectors, as well as those working in cable and internet service, telecommunications, water, laundry, and energy firm, media personnel, government officials, court officials, public attorneys with their skeletal staff, farm employees, paymasters, sugar, rice, corn, and flour employees and suppliers, management drivers and one helper of hauling services. They should all secure their own transportation, as stated in the order.