Post-lockdown: Quarantine checkpoints within Bukidnon removed

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – Bukidnon governor Jose Maria Zubiri on Thursday, April 30, ordered the removal of all quarantine control points in the province after the enhanced community quarantine was lifted 2 days ago.

Zubiri had placed the entire Bukidnon on lockdown from April 13 to 26 even with just a single COVID-19 case in Valencia, the province’s largest city.

In Memorandum 509, Zubiri said that there are ample complaints lodged to his office regarding the COVID-19 Quarantine Control Points (QCPS) established in between cities and municipalities as well as in barangays (villages).

“These QCPS are drawing criticism from the public as it hampers the daily movement of the motorist and residents as well,” Zubiri said.

Zubiri added that upon the recommendation of the Provincial-Inter Agency Task Force, he directed all mayors to immediately remove the QCPS from the barangay, municipal, and city levels.

Zubiri, however, retained all regional and provincial border quarantine checkpoints.

“The regional and provincial checkpoints in Libona, Talakag, Baungon, Kalilangan, Malitbog, Manolo Fortich, San Fernando, Kitaotao, and Damolog shall remain in place,” Zubiri said.

Libona, Talakag, Baungon, and Manolo Fortich share borders with Cagayan de Oro. Malitbog town shares borders with Claveria, and Jasaan in Misamis Oriental. Kalilangan shares a border with Lanao del Sur and Kitaotao with Davao City. Damulog shares a border with Carmen in Cotabato province. 

“Provincial and regional borders shall be retained and sustained to regulate exit and entry into the province to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Zubiri said.

Bus operations

With Bukidnon’s opening, the Rural Transit Mindanao, Inc. (RTMI) restarted their operations in the province on April 30.

Celer Estologo, RTMI’s Legal and Media Relations officer, cited Zubiri’s Executive Order No 21 which authorized public transport operations “on a limited capacity”.

Estologo said that the RTMI has put in place stringent measures to protect their passengers. Among these are having foot baths, sanitation stations, and soaps and alcohol in terminals and inside their buses.

Drivers and conductors will be provided with face shields and face masks and passengers will also be required to wear face masks at all times while inside the buses. They must also observe physical distancing, according to Estologo.

Estologo added that RTMI buses will only be able to serve up to border towns of Bukidnon considering that neighboring provinces have yet to lift their quarantine status or allows mass public transportation such as buses to ply their routes. – Rappler.com