This Week in Palawan (July 20 to 26, 2020)

Puerto Princesa City’s curfew hours were adjusted last July 15 under Executive Order No. 2020-037 signed by Mayor Lucilo Bayron. The new ordinance sets the curfew hours to 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM from the previous 8:00 PM to 5:00 AM. City Administrator Atty. Arnel Pedrosa will also make sure that business establishments will adjust their operating hours for their employees.

Employees who have work hours beyond 10:00 PM are required to secure a curfew pass from the City Administrator's Office. Exemptions include authorized persons outside of residence (APOR) and business establishments that have urgent tasks. Fines for violators were not disclosed [2].

A strict curfew will be implemented in all 11 barangays at Rizal. According to Deputy Chief of Police P/Lt. Eizel Marasigan, the curfew hours will be from 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM. Violators will be required to do community service. Checkpoints were also established in two areas in Rizal: Barangay Balite-Sur and Purok Malambunba, Barangay Punta Baja. Marasigan also seeks to set another checkpoint in Barangay Panalingaan soon [3]. The curfew is enforced to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the area.

Under Executive Order No. 20-040, the local government of Aborlan now requires residents to take a bath at the newly installed “Paliguan ng Bayan” (City Bath) before returning to their homes [4]. The new ordinance applies to APORs and employees who work in Puerto Princesa City, which has a total of 53 infections as of July 14. They will be required to take a bath before and after leaving the town.

As such, residents are advised to bring extra clothes when leaving the area. Arriving residents are also required to practice social distancing and avoid interacting with each other. They are also obligated to follow standard health protocols such as mandatory wearing of face masks and practicing good hygiene.

Married couples in Palawan are now allowed to ride motorcycles under several conditions. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) requires drivers and back riders to wear safety gears such as helmets, face shields, or face masks. Motorcycle passenger barriers must also be placed between the riders. Puerto Princesa City Police Director, Col. Sergio Vivar Jr also added that they will follow DILG’s measures in the city but for emergency cases only [5].

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