Iloilo City to lift border controls under MECQ

Iloilo City will lift border controls imposed during its two-week lockdow once it shifts to modified enhanced community quarantine on August 16.

Mayor Jerry Treñas made the announcement on Friday, August 13, after Malacanang bared the new quarantine classifications.

Through an executive order, Treñas lifted city-wide border controls and travel protocols within Panay island, citing the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases omnibus quarantine guidelines. 

But he said authorities would still encourage that travel be limited to work, medical needs, and accessing government services.

Curfew in the city will be from 9 pm to 4 am, allowing longer business hours.

Public utility vehicles can operate at 100%, according to the mayor’s new executive order, but Treñas said he will encourage drivers and operators to stick to 50% capacity due to physical distancing needs.

Even under MECQ, returning overseas Filipino workers and returning residents  still need to undergo a five-day quarantine, and submit to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests on the sixth day. 

Returning residents also need to present a negative RT-PCR test result taken at least three days prior to departure before getting their S-Pass from the city.

Leisure travel between Iloilo and Negros island remains banned. Outside of authorized persons outside of residences (APORs), travelers also need to present negative RT-PCR test results.

Religious gatherings will be limited to 10% capacity. The ban on public liquor consumption remains, and stores can sell alcoholic drinks only from 10 am to 6 pm.

The city’s reopening starting August 16 follows a ramped-up vaccination drive. 

For the third day in a row, the city topped its 10,000 daily jabs target. Health officials administered 13,394 doses on August 12, higher than the 11,859 given on August 11, and 10,033 on August 10.

Supplies will last until Tuesday, August 14, and the mayor said he has asked the national government to expedite deliveries.

The city government has also started processing its purchase of  P414 million worth AstraZeneca and Novavax vaccines.

On August 11, Treñas said the city had hit  24.98% of its 525,000 vaccination target.

The city’s total target is 50,000 jabs more than the population figure in the Department of Health (DOH) Western Visayas COVID-19 tracker. Treñas said the city government wants to serve metro workers who reside in other towns of Iloilo. – Inday Espina-Varona/Rappler.com