MANILA, Philippines — Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) are not allowed to operate during the duration of the enhanced community quarantine over Luzon.
POGOs are not among the essential establishments that must remain open while the strict quarantine measure is in effect, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said.
Nograles is also the spokesperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases.
“Philippine offshore gaming operators shall not be included among those establishments allowed to operate for the duration of the enhanced community quarantine,” Nograles said Tuesday night in a press briefing.
President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine which takes effect from March 17, 2020 to April 13, 2020.
This measure means “strict home quarantine shall be implemented in all households; transportation shall be suspended; provision for food and essential services shall be regulated; and heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce quarantine procedures will be implemented.”
READ: Luzon now under ‘enhanced community quarantine’ – Palace
Only private establishments providing basic necessities and activities related to food and medicine production shall remain open.
This includes “public markets, supermarkets, groceries, convenience stores, hospitals, medical clinics, pharmacies and drug stores, food preparation and delivery services, water-refilling stations, manufacturing and processing plants of basic food products and medicines, banks, money transfer services, power, energy, water and telecommunications supplies and facilities.”
Health officials have so far recorded 187 cases, including 14 fatalities, related to coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
READ: DOH: 2 more COVID-19 patients die; total PH death count now 14
The country is currently under a state of public health emergency and a state of calamity due to the virus, a respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus that first emerged in Wuhan City in China’s Hubei province in late 2019.
/atm