DILG to b’gay officials: Stay within their areas, no foreign travels

By Gaby Keith

BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Baguio office under Dir. Evelyn Trinidad has issued an advisory to the city’s barangay officials Tuesday directing them to stay within their areas of jurisdiction and are banned from any foreign travel beginning March 17 Until April 14, 2020.

       The ban may be lifted ahead of schedule or extended depending on the determination of the President, recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for COVID-19, or a subsequent issuance by the DILG, the advisory states.

       It also orders  barangay duty officers  of the day to serve as skeletal forces in their respective barangay halls while other officials not involved in the mobilization of barangay health emergency response teams (BHERTs) shall practice work-from-home measures to ensure continuity of services.

       All BHERTs reports are to be submitted directly to the Health Services Office clinic concerned.

       “In light of the COVID-19 threat, all barangay officials of Baguio city are expected to carry out all emergency measures during and after any disaster or calamity.  This includes any preventive measures to avoid or minimize the damage that these might cause,” the advisory states.

        It adds  that the 2019 barangay anti-drug abuse council (BADAC)  assessment scheduled for this month has been postponed indefinitely until further notice.