North, Central Luzon PUMs up; Baguio sets Covid rules

 Pangasinan has 32,000 PUMs, Pampanga in state of calamity 

By Eva Visperas, Aileen P. Refuerzo, Mar T. Supnad and Franco Regala 

NORTH AND CENTRAL LUZON provinces reported increase in persons under monitoring (PUMs) as Covid-19 cases increased nationwide.

In the Cordillera, Dept. of Health regional director Amelita M. Pangilinan reported as of March 18, there was still only one Covid-10 confirmed case in the Cordillera.

The 39-year-old male from Abra who was admitted in a hospital in Region 1 is now in stable condition, she said.

Persons under investigation for Covid-10 was pegged at 61 with 40 already discharged.

Twenty one other PUIs admitted in health facilities were still awaiting laboratory results.

Out of the 21, nine were from Baguio, seven from Benguet, two from Kalinga and one each in Mountain Province, Abra and Apayao.

With this, Pangilinan urged regional constituents to stay at home and isolate themselves.   

“Those who have flu or respiratory illness symptoms or history of travel with Covid-19 confirmed cases are advised to have themselves checked up,” she added.

In Lingayen, Pangasinan, the Provincial Health Office reported a total of 32,358 persons under monitoring (PUMs), but was quick to underscore that the province remained free of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Of this number, PHO reported that 534 PUMs have completed quarantine.

The PHO also reported the province has total of 22 patients under investigation (PUIs) for possible COVID-19 infection, 17 of them are still in the hospital while five have already been discharged.

According to Region 1 Medical Center (R1MC) medical director Dr. Joseph Roland Mejia, there were nine PUIs confined at R1MC.

Mejia has called on the public to stay calm, and comply with enhanced home quarantine.

” Very good immune system ang mahalaga. Social distancing, ang mga door knob dapat palaging malinis,” Mejia noted.

Mejia said, R1MC was prepared to accommodate patients who would be found positive for COVID-19 infection.

He added that R1MC has facilities and isolation rooms in case a patient wants to be admitted instead of going to Manila.

In  Baguio City, Mayor Benjamin Magalong March 17 amended executive order No. 65 series of 2020 (declaring the city under citywide community quarantine) to adapt guidelines in enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) status ordered by President Duterte over Luzon.

The Luzon ECQ issued March 16 was pursuant to a memorandum issued by the Office of the Executive Secretary with other guidelines set under Resolutions No. 11 and 12 of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Disease.

 Under the mayor’s new Executive Order No. 67 series of 2020, movement of all persons in the City of Baguio will be restricted to their respective homes with the following exceptions:

*to access basic and essential necessities, food provisions and urgent medical needs only; to work in emergency front services, border control and other critical services to be done by as much as possible only one person from the household;

*persons working in emergency frontline services, border control and other critical services;

*those in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection and the Naval Reserve Command and Army Reserve Command as they may be called to assist;

* Personnel deployed by the City Mayor’s Office and other persons as may be authorized;

*Persons who have secured clearance certificates from the City Mayor’s Office; and 

*Persons working in the following establishments: those providing basic necessities and such as activities related to food and medicine production i.e. public markets, supermarkets, groceries, convenience stores, hospitals, medical clinics, pharmacies and drug stores, food preparation and delivery services, water-refilling stations, hardware stores, laundry services, manufacturing and processing plants of basic food products and medicines, banks, money transfer services, power, energy, water and telecommunication supplies and facilities and business process outsourcing establishments.

Only these business establishments will be allowed to operate on regular hours while those not in the list will not be allowed to operate at all.

Checkpoints will be maintained and persons coming to the city must still pass through temperature screening and submit Health Declaration Form.

The coding scheme is lifted for vehicles used by medical personnel and those in health services.

Mass transport is suspended but some public utility vehicles may be tapped to serve commuters for emergency purposes and when exigency of service and necessity of the circumstances require to be coordinated with the barangay officials.

Curfew is 24 hours and applies to everyone so people should stay indoors at all times except to access basic goods and medical necessities.

The curfew for 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. is for persons working in establishments providing basic necessities and such as activities related to food and medicine production i.e. public markets, supermarkets, groceries, convenience stores, hospitals, medical clinics, pharmacies and drug stores, food preparation and delivery services, water-refilling stations, hardware stores, laundry services, manufacturing and processing plants of basic food products and medicines, banks, money transfer services, power, energy, water and telecommunication. 

Other features of the order are:

*There will be heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce quarantine procedures;

*Mass gatherings are prohibited;

*Work from home arrangement in the executive branch shall be implemented.  Insofar as the City Government of Baguio, those departments performing critical and essential functions shall provide for a skeletal workforce.  All other departments shall utilize an on-call or work from home arrangement. 

*The suspension of classes in all levels for public and private school and other institutions of learning, as stated in Executive Order No. 60, Series of 2020, is extended until 14 April 2020, and shall resume on 15 April 2020 or until assessment by the COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force.  Technical-Vocational Institutions, ESL schools, review centers, and tutorial centers shall also be covered hereby.  School officials and administrators are encouraged to formulate alternative methods of learning for their students;

*Mass public transport is suspended, however, certain operators of public utility vehicles may be tapped to serve commuters when the exigency of service and necessity of circumstances require, as may be determined by the COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force;

*Cargo and supply deliveries of medical supplies, basic goods, and grocery items to and from the city shall not be hindered, subject to the observance of strict sanitation methods and practices;

Those persons who refuse to abide by the rules and guidelines of the Enhanced Community Quarantine may be apprehended, and held liable for violation the provisions of Republic Act No. 11332, otherwise, known as the “Law on Reporting Communicable Diseases”, Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, among other applicable laws;

Establishments allowed to operate should ensure the adoption of a strict skeletal workforce to support operations as well as strict social distancing measures and health protocols.

Business Process Outsourcing establishments and export-oriented industries shall remain operational subject to the condition that strict social distancing measures are observed, their respective personnel are provided appropriate temporary accommodations by 18 March 2020 and that a skeletal work force shall be implemented.  These establishments may in the meantime, provide shuttle services for their employees.

Media personnel shall be allowed to travel within the quarantine area, provided that, within seventy-two hours from effectivity of the Enhanced Community Quarantine, media personnel intending to travel within the quarantine area shall secure a Clearance Certificate from the City Mayor’s Office.

Meanwhile, Ilocos Sur was placed under community quarantine starting March 15, which included travel restrictions and other measures, to protect constituents from Covid-19.

The declaration was made during the inter-agency coordination meeting called by the provincial government of Ilocos Sur on March 15 where it was decided there was need to protect the province to prevent community transmission, minimize movement of persons and abate spread of the COVID-19. 

In attendance were officials from the Department of Health, Interior and Local Government, Education, Trade and Industry, Philippine National Police and all municipal/city mayors of Ilocos Sur. 

In Executive Order No. 14 issued by Gov. Luis Ryan Singson, movement of people to and from the province of Ilocos Sur was restricted until April 14. 

Residents will only be allowed to buy food and other necessities, and go to work if it's within the province.

Going to work in a neighboring province can be allowed, if the area is not hit by the virus, the order said.

 Non-residents of Ilocos Sur can enter the province if they are not infected with the coronavirus, and are not from an area affected by the disease. 

They will also need to undergo screening before entry. 

 Exempted from these protocols are health workers, responders, police and military personnel and other government authorities whose work station is in Ilocos Sur.

Travelers who will be passing through the province may enter, provided that they subject themselves to protocols, and no stop-over in the province will be made. 

 “No transfer and/or referral of patient/s coming from the neighboring provinces to any health facility in the province of Ilocos Sur shall be allowed during the entire community quarantine,” the executive order read.

Check points were also set up in all entry points of the province.

Public transport within the province will continue to operate but drivers and operators are required to observe transportation guidelines set by the government for all public utility vehicles. 

Delivery personnel of goods and commodities shall undergo screening at checkpoints and must present ID, latest health certificate from point of origin and other documents that may be asked by quarantine officers.

Social gatherings are prohibited and tourism activities are suspended.

Work-related meetings may continue but social distancing will be practiced until the end of the event. 

Business establishments in the province were directed to set up hygiene stations at their entrance areas.

 All restaurants and other food establishments shall avoid food preparation on cold buffet.

Take out and food delivery were encouraged. 

 The province also implemented curfew between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. 

This does not apply to those rendering emergency and security work. 

 To date, Ilocos Sur remains Covid-19 free. 

In Pampanga, Gov. Dennis Pineda on Tuesday placed Pampanga under state of calamity amid the public health threat of Covid-19.

This, after the Pampanga Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s endorsement to allow the province’s 21 towns to utilize portion of their quick response funds and engage in emergency response to mitigate the effects of Covid-19.

The law states that local government units can have access to additional funds should their jurisdiction be placed under a state of calamity.

On Monday, the town of Porac was also placed under state of calamity after it reported its first case of COVID-19 last week. The 33-year old male, also the first case in the province, was a Grab driver who serviced the routes of Clark Freeport and other towns in the province.

Pampanga’s second recorded case was still confined, quarantined and being treated at Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital. He frequented a prayer hall in San Juan, and was reportedly exposed to a previously confirmed case of COVID-19.

The third case was reported by a private hospital in the City of San Fernando. His case was reported on March 9, but he died two just two days later, when confirmation of his being COVID-19 positive coming on March 13.

Pineda said the provincial government conducted contact tracing of families, relatives, friends and neighbors to monitor them for symptoms of the virus and ensure immediate assistance to improve their health condition.