Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 30) – The country’s economic heartland — home to millions of Filipinos — is once again placed under the strictest form of lockdown in a bid to check the coronavirus case surge.
Local governments in Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna are carrying out different measures to address both the needs of residents and enforce mobility restrictions.
Unlike the 2020 enhanced community quarantine though, public transport options are available for those allowed to go out during the one-week lockdown from March 29 to April 4.
With the return of checkpoints, as well as curfew hours, Metro Manila and neighboring provinces want to limit mobility yet still allow essential industries to operate.
Quarantine passes
The city of Manila is reissuing quarantine passes for representatives of each household tasked to buy essential goods and services.
Manila Barangay Bureau chief Romeo Bagay issued a memorandum to all 896 barangays in the city to issue the passes.
Manila will implement an “odd-even” scheme, where quarantine passes ending with odd numbers may go out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m., and from Sunday morning till noon.
Even-numbered quarantine passes, meanwhile, will be allowed to buy on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m., and from Sunday noon till 6 p.m.
San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora told CNN Philippines that the city’s barangays would also reissue quarantine passes beginning March 29.
“We really have to make sure na ‘yung movement ng bawat San Juaneño ay limited to one person per family para bumili ng essential items gaya ng pagkain at gamot (to buy essential items such as food and medicine),” Zamora said in a phone interview.
“Araw-araw naman pwedeng lumabas para bumili ng essential items ang mga may quarantine pass because we make sure na one person per family lang talaga,” he added.
[Translation: People can buy essential items every day because we’ll make sure only one person per family is allowed out.]
In Navotas City, home quarantine passes are divided per barangay, with certain barangays allowed on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, while others on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Grocery stores and markets, including small wet markets or talipapa, will be closed on Monday for disinfection.
In Taguig City, residents buying basic goods and services may either bring QR codes registered through its Taguig Registry for Access and City Engagement or TRACE App, or by bringing old quarantine passes and/or valid government-issued ID cards.
Muntinlupa City will allow those buying essentials to use old quarantine passes, according to the city’s public information office.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said those who do not have their old quarantine passes anymore may simply provide authorities an explanation when flagged at checkpoints.
Food aid, rolling stores
Several cities will distribute food aid to residents who will shelter in place because of the ECQ, or will send mobile stores to bring goods closer to residents’ homes.
Manila public information chief Julius Leonen said in a text message the city’s food security program will continue during and even after the implementation of the ECQ.
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno earlier released over P1.4 billion to cover the city’s food distribution program, with the funds expected to cover around 700,000 families in the city for the month of April.
San Juan Mayor Zamora also said the city government will continue to give food packs to its residents. The government has already offered its 16th wave of food assistance, with more to come even after stricter lockdowns are lifted.
“Itong 16th wave was really timed for Holy Week. Nagkataon po na nagpatupad ng ECQ so mas kailangan po talaga ng mga mamamayan natin,” Mayor Zamora said, adding that distribution of these food packs were done from house to house.
[Translation: This 16th wave was really timed for the Holy Week. Coincidentally, ECQ was declared, so this aid is something our residents really need.]
Taguig City Mayor Lino Cayetano also said the city will continue to give Stay-at-Home Food Packs during and after the ECQ.
In Makati City, a mobile market will start rolling out again beginning Monday, while Taguig will have its own mobile markets in select places in the city all week except on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
Vaccination activities
Vaccination drives for senior citizens will now start despite the lockdown — a key difference in this year’s implementation of the ECQ.
Beginning Monday, Manila City will implement vaccination for senior citizens in all six districts of the city. Seniors will be required to pre-register through a website.
Once a QR code from the website is secured, they will have to bring it to the vaccination site, along with a valid ID.
The town of Pateros meanwhile has already posted the names and the vaccination schedule of senior citizens on its Facebook page.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said hospitals and local government units are encouraged to craft a “substitution list” consisting of vaccinees from the A1, A2, and A3 sectors. A1 refers to medical frontliners, A2 to senior citizens, while A3 covers persons with comorbidities.
Senior citizens have until Holy Wednesday, March 31st, to register with their local government units for the vaccine drive.
PNP: 1st day of ECQ “generally peaceful”
Philippine National Police spokesperson PBGen. Ildebrandi Usana said the first day of the ECQ in Metro Manila and nearby provinces was “generally peaceful.”
“As far as our people are concerned, they have been substantially compliant. Although some of our citizens are purposely disobedient or they reasoned out they have no knowledge to the recent government pronouncements,” said Usana.
The PNP spokesperson reminded public transport operators to follow passenger capacity guidelines and the people to constantly wear face masks and face shields.
Usana assured police officers will not arrest or apprehend quarantine rules violators, but they will be warned for their actions.
“The chief PNP has already give us this instruction that there will be no arrests and no apprehensions, except if there are some disobedient acts from the people. We just allow them to pass through, except for those non-essential workers,” he added.
Last week, PNP Chief Gen. Debold Sinas said they recorded a total of 1,503,273 violations of minimum public health standards from Aug. 20, 2020 to March 23 this year. Most of the violators were reprimanded for not wearing face masks, which consistently topped the violations list every month.
