Bukidnon shuts borders to prevent COVID-19 spread

Bukidnon Gov. Jose Maria Zubiri Jr. (Photo from the official website of the Bukidnon provincial government at www.bukidnon.gov.ph)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Starting Friday midnight, the landlocked province of Bukidnon will no longer allow the entry of non-residents as a precaution against the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Governor Jose Maria Zubiri signed the order Friday while he was on home quarantine after his son, Senator Miguel Zubiri, tested positive for COVID 19 infection.

In his order, Zubiri said only Bukidnon residents would be allowed entry to the province.

Zubiri said wherever they seek to pass, non-residents would be stopped.

The entry points into the province are Manolo Fortich and Baungon, from Cagayan de Oro; Malitbog, from Misamis Oriental; Kitaotao, from Davao City; Talakag and Kalilangan, from Lanao del Sur; Damulog, from Cotabato province; and San Fernando, from Davao del Norte.

“This is for all of us,” Zubiri said.

Hansel Echavez, head of the Bukidnon Public affairs, Information and Assistance office, said passengers of buses and private vehicles will be asked to submit themselves for a foot bath and temperature reading at the entry points.

He said health teams will be waiting in these places to check on the buses and private vehicles.

“If you are on a private vehicle and one of your passengers is not from Bukidnon, that person will not be allowed to proceed with you,” Echavez said.

He said the same procedure will apply to passengers of public utility vehicles.

Echavez said commuters would be asked for government identification cards or proof of employment in Bukidnon before they are allowed to enter.

“They will not be allowed to proceed if they can not produce documents that can prove they are Bukidnon residents,” Echavez said.

He said municipal health teams would be on hand to check the body temperature and travel history of the Bukidnon residents.

“Residents having 38-degree temperature or higher would be immediately sent to the hospitals,” Echavez said.

Echavez said the strict quarantine measure will not include trucks ferrying food and medical supplies to and from the province.

He said drivers of the trucks who are not Bukidnon residents are exempted by the quarantine measures.

Echavez said also exempted are government and humanitarian workers.

Also exempted are the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police and officials and employees of Bukidnon local government units.

Zubiri’s order for an indefinite lockdown, came three days after placing the province under community quarantine.

“This is to strengthen the community quarantine that is already in place,” Zubiri said. With a report from Jigger Jerusalem

Edited by JPV