MANILA, Philippines — Local ordinances will have to be signed and passed by the respective local government units (LGUs) of Metro Manila before curfew can be enforced during the lockdown period, the spokesperson of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Saturday.
Earlier, in a meeting of the Metro Manila Council (MMC), the mayors of Metro Manila and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) have agreed to impose a curfew from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. during the period of the lockdown from March 15 to April 14.
“We will set up checkpoints to discourage people from moving around. But curfew implementation is dependent on local ordinances to be approved by each LGU,” DILG Spokesperson and Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said in a text message.
The DILG official said the legal basis for the curfew will be the ordinances that the mayors of Metro Manila will be signing. Metro Manila mayors have agreed to issue their respective ordinances by Monday (March 16).
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año earlier said only essential travel will be allowed during the curfew, such as in going to work, seeking medical treatment, buying essential items and doing official work like government officials and law enforcement units.