Tacloban on lockdown starting March 21

TACLOBAN CITY –– Tacloban City, which has more than 220,000 residents, will be placed on lockdown for at least 23 days starting midnight of Saturday, March 21.

Mayor Alfred Romualdez said the “intensified restrictions” were meant to control the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Except for a few that cater to food, medicines, and other basic commodities, all business establishments in the city will be closed.

Public transportation going to the city is also prohibited. Only those operating within Tacloban will be allowed provided they carry only half of their original capacity as part of the social-distancing policy.

Tacloban City, the regional center of Eastern Visayas, remains free from COVID-19, although it has 15 persons under investigation (PUIs) and 1,379 persons under monitoring (PUMs).

Allowed to go out of their homes are those working in hospitals and specialty clinics; power and water utilities; internet service; media; cable and telecommunications; restaurants, coffee shops, and food or snack houses, though they are to observe take out or drive-thru orders only; supermarkets, groceries, markets, pharmacies and hardware; banks, and money remittance centers; laundry services; water refilling stations; gasoline stations; and funeral parlors.

Romualdez authorized all barangay leaders in the city to impose their quarantine systems like having their checkpoints to ensure the movements of people.

As part of their measures, all of the city’s 138 barangays, would issue quarantine passes wherein only one member of the household will be allowed to go out of their respective villages to do some errands or buy items outside their homes.

The barangays shall also enforce a nightly curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

While the “intensified restrictions” are in full force, some non-residents could still be allowed entry to the city. These include doctors; nurses; national government officials and employees; members of the Philippine National Police; Armed Forces of the Philippines; Bureau of Fire and Protection; Coast Guard; workers in courier, cargo and delivery services; those availing medical services and surgical operations in the city; and media practitioners.

LZB