MANILA, Philippines – The Navotas City Council on Sunday, March 15, passed a city ordinance prohibiting people from leaving their residences from 8 pm to 5 am, in a bid to fight the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The curfew will start on Monday, March 16, and will last until April 14. 

According to City Ordinance No. 2020-06, those exempted from the curfew are persons:

• Traveling for medical and humanitarian reasons
• Transiting to the airport abroad on pre-booked flights
• Providing basic services and public utilities
• Transiting to and from work
• Trading fish and similar products at the Navotas Fish Port Complex, and all other markets and facilities where food and food products, in any form, are being traded
• Working in trading and/or delivery of raw materials, food products, and other food supplies
• Officially tansporting any item in assistance of the fight against the virus
• Health workers doing their official functions
• Authorized local government officials and personnel
• Local government’s essential skeletal workforce

The ordinance also requires commercial establishments to close by 8 pm with the exception of food shops (except restaurants, pubs, and bars), supermarkets, pharmacies, clinics, and banks.

Those found to have violated the curfew and other provisions of the ordinance will face fines: P1,000 for the 1st offense, P2,500 for the 2nd offense, and P5,000 or one month of imprisonment for the 3rd offense.

The ordinance was signed by Navotas City Mayor Toby Tiangco.

It was passed after the Metro Manila Council on Saturday, March 14, strongly urged local government units to issue their own ordinances implementing a curfew “in order to preserve and protect the lives and health of their constituents.”

As of Sunday, the Department of Health said there are now 140 confirmed coronavirus cases in the Philippines. Out of this number, 11 have died.

Metro Manila is under lockdown until April 14, with travel in and out of the capital region prohibited.

Read the full Navotas City ordinance:

– Rappler.com