This Week in Iloilo (March 29 to April 4, 2020)

The city and the province of Iloilo have been placed under enhanced community quarantine as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 [1]. With this, strict home quarantine referred to as a “lockdown” by the city mayor is being implemented. This means only people who need to buy basic necessities and health needs are allowed to go out. Strengthened social distancing is also implemented. The quarantine also mandates that only essential business establishments shall be allowed to open. These include hospitals, supermarkets, restaurants, banks, pharmacies, water-refilling stations, and business process outsourcing (BPO), and other essential service providers. A liquor ban is also being implemented until April 14 or until the duration of the lockdown.

To impose social distancing in Iloilo City, passenger jeepneys are not allowed to operate during the lockdown [2]. Despite the temporary jeepney ban, buses, taxis, tricycles and trisikads will still be allowed to use the city streets. At least 10 buses are now servicing city residents, with expected augmentation in the coming days. To honor the service of health workers during these times, they are allowed to ride buses for free. They just have to show their identification cards. Non-healthcare residents can also use the buses for a fare of P10. Meanwhile, tricycles and trisikads will only be allowed on local roads.

The city and province of Iloilo also started to implement a curfew [3]. For Iloilo City, the curfew is set at 8:00 PM to 5:00 AM while it’s from 9:00 PM to 4:00 AM in the province. Health workers and authorized government officials are exempted from the curfew. Also exempted are people who are traveling for humanitarian reasons, providing basic services and public utilities, or delivering food and medicine. The barangay councils are meanwhile authorized to implement the curfew rule. No penalties are imposed for the offenders but they will be endorsed to the punong barangay.

Home quarantine passes for each household are now used in the city and province [4]. Only one person per household is allowed to go out to shop for essential supplies. The use of the pass is also part of the stricter quarantine rules.

Public markets, supermarkets, and grocery stores in the city and the province will remain open despite the enhanced community quarantine [5]. This is to ensure that food supplies will remain sufficient during the duration of the lockdown. Retailers meanwhile assure that there is no hoarding of supplies, especially of isopropyl alcohol and other commodities. [6]

Bank customers in the city are all required to wear masks. The “no mask, no entry” policy has been imposed since the start of the enhanced community quarantine in the city. All types of mask are allowed [7]. Money changers, pawnshop, and remittance services will also remain open during the lockdown. In all establishments, the observance of social distancing rules are required [8].

Despite the lockdown, pharmacies and other establishments selling medicines are also allowed to open as long as social distancing is also followed. Meanwhile, paluto services or food vending at the Iloilo Fish Port Complex are also temporarily banned. This is also in compliance with the precautionary measures against COVID-19 [10].

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