Baguio gov’t sets rules for returning folks / Truck ban on

CITY HALL BEAT

Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY has beefed up its triage system to cater to returning residents and workers starting Friday.

The city opened its doors to stranded residents and workers residing in other areas under a set of strict health and safety rules which include the triage requirements to ensure immediate detection and management of potential Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-infected persons.

In a report to the City Management Committee on May 19, City Health Service Office Asst. Health Officer Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes said that to better manage the RBRS, a central triage had been set up at the St. Vincent gym along Naguilian Road composed of 11 sub-triages delineated based on the medical conditions of the entrants.

This is apart from the triages set up at the checkpoints or the various entrances to the city and those set up at the various hospitals.

City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) Head Dr. Donnabel Panes said these are part of the city's two-triage system adopted for RBRs.

Under the system, RBRs undergo initial triage at the checkpoints set up at the various entry points to the city and those with symptoms are escorted to the triages of hospitals of their choice while those without symptoms are directed to the St. Vincent central triage.

At the St. Vincent triage, the RBRs are managed according to their requirements. Those who require health certificates to return to work are asked to undergo x-ray for a P180 fee and those with lung problems are tested for Coronavirus disease.

Those who are not returning workers are managed based on decision matrices which include the status of their places of origin. If for instance they came from an area that is under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) status or with numerous cases, they will be required to undergo a 14-day home quarantine.

Brillantes said a pilot district triage was also put up at the Lucban health district to cater to residents in said area.

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Mayor Magalong said Friday Ordinance No. 5 series of 2017 or the Truck Ban Ordinance is in full force and effect in the city.

The ordinance entitled “Regulating the Use of Streets in the City of Baguio by Heavy Equipment Vehicles, Trailers, Dump Trucks and other Freight Trucks (Six-Wheelers and Above) with Gross Weigh Capacity of 4,500 kilograms or more)...” will continue to be implemented even under the General Community Quarantine setting.

Under the measure, heavy equipment vehicles, trailers, dump trucks and other freight trucks with gross weight capacity of 4,500 kilograms or more are not allowed to enter, traverse, park, load, unload or pass through the streets or roads in the city from 6 to 9 a.m. and from 4 to 9 p.m. beginning from and within the following points:

Baguio City Police Office - Station 10 along Palispis-Aspiras Highway (formerly Marcos Highway); along Kennon Road - Junction of Loakan Road and Camp 7 Bridge; BCPO Community Precinct at Scout Barrio Barangay, Loakan Road; BCPO - Station 3 along Ambuclao Road, Pacdal Circle; City Limit, Bell Church, Km. 3, Halsema Highway; BCPO - Station 9 along Quirino Highway (formerly Naguilan Road); Asin Road beginning at the intersection of the circumferential road going to Sta. Lucia and Suello Village; and perimeter roads/line of the central business district as defined in Section 5 of Ordinance Numbered 01, Series of 2003 or the “Baguio City Number Coding Ordinance.”

 These vehicles however are not allowed to traverse roads within the main central business district from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Cargo delivery trucks are only allowed to unload or load dry and wet goods at the central business district area after 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. starting from the following:

BCPO Station 10 at Palispis-Aspiras Highway going towards the central business district and vice-versa; Camp 7 going up to the central business district and vice-versa, except when passing to Military Cut-Off going towards South Drive to Pacdal Circle and or to Loakan Road Section; Pacdal Circle going towards the central business district and vice-versa; main thoroughfares of Harrison Road, Session Road, Governor Pack Road to SM City Baguio and vice-versa; Bonifacio Street to Post Office and vice-versa; Harrison Road to Bonifacio Street intersection; Harrison Road to Magsaysay Road until city limit and vice-versa; Buhagan Road (formerly Bokawkan Road) - Harrison Road intersection to Abanao Street, Quirino Highway up via Buhagan Road – Magsaysay Avenue intersection and vice-versa; and from Quirino Highway towards Irisan intersection and vice-versa.

Heavy equipment vehicles, trailers, dump trucks, and other freight trucks covered will be allowed to traverse the following roads beyond 9 a.m. until 3:59 p.m. (window time) and will be allowed to use and traverse the following roads only after 9:01 p.m. until 6 a.m.:

Via Kennon Road

Those coming from or going to Halsema Highway will take Magsaysay Avenue, Buhagan Road, Kayang Extension, Legarda Road, Gregorio Del Pilar Road, Kisad Road, or vice-versa while those coming from or going to Ambuclao Road shall take Pacdal Circle Park Road, South Drive, Military Cut-Off or vice-versa; or Pacdal Circle Park Road, South Drive, Loakan Road, or vice-versa.

Those coming from and or going to Itogon, Benguet, shall take Outlook Drive (behind The Mansion), South Drive, Military Cut-Off, or vice-versa or Outlook Drive (behind The Mansion), South Drive, Loakan Road or vice-versa and those coming from or going to Balatoc Mines and Philex Mines shall take Loakan Road.

 Those coming from or going to Halsema Highway shall take Magsaysay Avenue, Buhagan Road or vice-versa;

 Those coming from or going to Ambuclao Road shall take Pacdal Circle Park Road, South Drive, Military Cut-Off, Kayang Extension, Legarda Road, Gregorio Del Pilar Road, Kisad Road, or vice-versa;

Those coming from and or going to Itogon, Benguet, shall take Outlook Drive (behind The Mansion), South Drive, Military Cut-Off, Kayang Extension, Legarda Road, Gregorio Del Pilar Road, Kisad Road, or vice-versa; and those coming from or going to Balatoc Mines and Philex Mines shall take Loakan Road, Military Cut-Off, Kayang Extension, Legarda, Gregorio Del Pilar Road, Kisad Road, or vice-versa.

Vehicles coming from Benguet Exploration and Black Mountain Mines shall:

In going to Quirino Highway (formerly Naguilian Road), take Kennon Road, Kisad Road, Gregorio Del Pilar Road, Legarda Road, Kayang Extension;

In going to Halsema Highway, take Kennon Road, Kisad Road, Gregorio Del Pilar Road, Legarda Road, Kayang Extension, Buhagan Road, Magsaysay Avenue (La Trinidad Road);

In going to Itogon, Benguet, take Loakan Road, South Drive, Outlook Drive (behind The Mansion); and

In going to Ambuclao Road, take Loakan Road, South Drive, Pacdal Circle Park Road:

Cargoes deliverable to particular places and or persons outside the streets or roads specified but situated within the city limits as evidenced by accompanying waybills and or invoices will be exempted from the provision of this Ordinance provided that the delivery will not be done within the prohibited time.

The ordinance provides exemptions to water delivery trucks actually used in assisting fire-fighting, fire trucks, company vehicles of public utilities actually doing repair works, government registered trucks, heavy equipment already at worksite and trucks used during emergency or calamities.

Penalties for violators include fines ranging from P2,000 to P5,000.