This Week in Bacolod (August 16 to 22, 2020)

The new curfew in Bacolod City will start at 8:00 PM and will end at 4:00 AM the following day. This was set in hopes of decreasing the number of coronavirus cases in the city. The imposed curfew hours started last August 9 and will last until August 22. Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia made the decision to change the curfew hours based on the recommendation of the City Health Officer and other city officials. Under the approved City Ordinance No. 934, violators will pay a fine of PhP500 or finish eight hours of community service [1].

Memorandum Circular No. 3 series of 2020 orders the temporary suspension of the entry of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) from Metro Manila to Bacolod City and Negros Occidental. The suspension was made to grant health workers and other frontliners rest after working non-stop for months and to slow down the spread of the virus in the city, according to Mayor Leonardia. The memorandum will be effective until August 21, 2020 [2]. Recently, the city has seen an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the local government units (LGUs) and shortage of resources to quarantine LSIs and ROFs.

Executive Order (EO) No. 2020-033 was signed by Sipalay City Mayor Maria Gina Lizares imposing a ban on non-essential and tourism-related travel in the city. The order was created in response to the increasing number of local transmissions in the province. Under the moratorium, only the following conditions of travel are allowed in Sipalay City:

• Medical-related and business transactions

• Government-related transactions

• Shipment of goods and items

• Non-residents from low-risk areas who are employed in Sipalay

• Residents who are employed in low-risk areas

The order will be in effect until 11:59 PM on August 31, 2020 [3].

Following the implemented curfew hours in Bacolod City, Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) Chief Executive Officer Frank Carbon says that they will submit to the city official’s decision and will reduce business hours. Carbon added that he hopes the city could extend financial support to the most vulnerable sector to maintain peace and order. The business group also requested authorities to regularly monitor public markets especially talipapas (small wet markets) [4]. The EO on curfew hours exempts only public emergencies, medical needs, night shift employees, and other essential officials from the amended hours.

The Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) in Bacolod City has temporarily suspended taking in probable COVID-19 patients for it has reached its full capacity. According to CLMMRH Chief Dr. Julius Drilon, eight doctors, four nurses, and seventeen non-medical support staff of the hospital have tested positive for COVID-19. Furthermore, 113 personnel of the regional hospital are now in isolation. The management also informed the public that they will resume admissions when beds become available [5].

Go to Yoorekka for more COVID-19 updates in Bacolod.