Soccsksargen shuts borders to stave off COVID-19

KORONADAL CITY – Around 200 police officers were deployed to secure the Soccsksargen region’ s closed borders following the implemntation of a region-wide quarantine after a region-wide quarantine on Monday, March 23, to stop the spread of the dreaded coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), a top police official said.

Brigadier General Alfred Corpus, Police Regional Office-12 director border checkpoints were established while curfew hours were imposed.

“Our work is to ensure that nobody could enter the region except those who are authorized,” Corpus  said in a statement.

The Regional Task Force on COVID-19 composed of different government line agencies will announce when the shutdown will be lifted.

Exempted from the travel  ban are vehicles carrying food and other essential supplies and those involved in rendering medical services, emergency rescue and public safety and utilities.

Vehicles carrying basic commodities shall be granted unhampered access since their  services are essential to public survival, Corpus stressed.

The police official reminded police personnel on the frontlines to keep safe by observing proper health protocols.

During the sendoff ceremony at the PRO-12 headquarters in nearby General Santos City, personal protective equipment and basic goods such as rice and medicine were distributed to the deployed police personnel.

Corpus appealed to the public to cooperate with the authorities and follow measures put in place to help combat COVID-19 in the region. 

Soccsksargen or Region 12 straddles the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong and Kidapawan.

The region shares borders with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Region 11 (Davao region) and Region 10 (Northern Mindanao).

GSG