Baguio limits crowds at city public market

By Dionisio Dennis, Jr. and Pamela Mariz Geminiano  

BAGUIO CITY – The local government here announced on Tuesday the scheduling of buying food and supplies at the public market to prevent people from crowding and avoid possible infection from the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

In an advisory from the city information office, starting Wednesday, the city government will impose window hours for villagers who are not covered by the 24-hour curfew exemptions, to go out of their homes to buy essential supplies such as medicines and food.

The schedules will adopt the groupings by the district of the 128 villages, where residents will be allowed on specific hours.

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays will be the schedules of Districts 1 and 2 - 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.; Districts 3, 4 and 5 - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Districts 6 and 7 - 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Districts 8, 9 and 10 - 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays will be for Districts 11, 12 and 13 - 7 am to 11 a.m., Districts 14 and 15 - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Districts 16, 17 and 18 - 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Districts 19 and 20 - 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

"Sunday is lockdown day except for medical emergencies," the advisory said.

This is applicable to all residents whether riding public or private transportation or walking.

Those covered by curfew exemptions particularly those working in critical establishments are exempted from the directive.

Emergency Home Community Quarantine Passes with serial numbers, date and time will be issued to monitor the number of persons going out of the barangays. Only one person per household is issued the passes.

Arrivals of essential products and deliveries will be allowed earlier or depending on what was prescribed for vendors, suppliers, viajeras, dealers, distributors, wholesalers-buyers which will be allowed from 4 a.m. onwards to replenish the goods, stocks and other food items in the market.

The advisory also said on Sundays, vital establishments such as groceries and drugstores located outside the city market will remain open.

Earlier, the city government issued a directive limiting the operation of the market from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. only followed by the two-hour cleaning time.

After the operation hours, all vendors are directed to help clean the market and sanitize daily.

Flushing of water by the fire department is also done on schedules.

On a daily basis, fire trucks are deployed on the main roads in the central business district for flushing activities. (PNA)