MANILA, Philippines – Makati Mayor Abby Binay is placing the entire city under a general community quarantine starting March 16 to April 14 to help contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. 

Binay signed Executive Order (EO) No. 10, Series of 2020, on Sunday, March 15, the same day she delivered a public address discussing its main contents through a Facebook Live video aired on Makati’s official page.  

Under the community quarantine, the movement of all persons within Makati’s borders will be “limited to accessing basic necessities” during the quarantine period or until the national government’s Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging and Infectious Disease will change its recommendation for the lockdown imposed in Metro Manila. 

Binay is also imposing a daily curfew from 8 pm to 5 am in the city starting Monday, March 16. Several city-run facilities and commercial establishments often frequented by the public for recreation and entertainment will also be closed. (READ: LIST: Metro Manila lockdown checkpoints)

According to Binay, the City Council is set to sign a resolution on Monday to declare a state of calamity in Makati, which would allow the city to tap into its Quick Response Fund to help combat COVID-19, the disease caused by the 2019-nCoV 

As of 4 pm on Sunday, Makati has recorded a total of 14 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The Philippines has so far recorded 140 cases of COVID-19, 11 of which are fatal. 

Binay is “strongly” directing Makati residents to stay at home, especially those who are 60 years old and above, those who are immunocompromised or with co-morbidities, and pregnant women.

Among those exempted from the curfew are health workers, call center agents, passengers going to the airport for international flights, and skeletal forces of city hall. 

LOOK: Makati Mayor Abby Binay signs Executive Order No. 10 declaring the city under general community quarantine starting March 16 to April 14 due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/IpNRv1i3cM

— Mara Cepeda (@maracepeda) March 15, 2020

Is anyone exempted from curfew? Yes. Binay said the following will be exempted from the 8 pm to 5 am daily curfew:

• Those working in business with a work schedule within curfew hours
• Health workers
• Authorized government officials
• Those traveling for medical and humanitarian reasons
• Persons transiting to airport for travel abroad
• Persons providing basic services and public utilities
• Persons delivering food and medicines
• Essential skeletal workforce of the Makati City government 

What establishments will be closed? Binay is temporarily closing down all malls in Makati. But groceries, pharmacies, 24/7 convenience stores, banks and financial institutions, hardware stores, health clinics, diagnostic centers and laboraties, and restaurants with take-out or delivery services will remain open.

The mayor is also prohibiting bars, resto-bars, KTV bars, cocktail lounges, theaters, gyms, private basketball and badminton courts and other similar establishments from operating. Also closed starting on Monday are city-run facilities like basketball courts, multi-purpose halls, swimming pools, public schools, and the University of Makati. 

What establishments will remain open? The Makati City Hall will remain open, but skeletal workforces will be in place to continue delivering vital and essential services to residents. Social distancing will be strictly implemented.  

The following city-run offices will remain open as well:

• Ospital ng Makati
• Makati Health Department
• Barangay health centers
• Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office
• Public Safety Department
• Department of Environmental Services
• Makati Action Center

Will there be enhanced community quarantine? Yes. Binay is allowing enhanced community quarantine for persons under investigation (PUI) or persons under monitoring (PUM) for COVID-19. 

An enhanced community quarantine means the person cannot leave his or home, transportation will be suspended, and provision for food and essential health services will be regulated. 

Binay said if a PUI or a PUM lives in a condominium unit, the city government has the power to place the entire building under an enhanced community quarantine “effective immediately from notice.” – Rappler.com