Several Davao City villages on total lockdown

Authorities enforce a strict no entry and exit policy in Davao City’s Barangay 23-C which was put on lockdown on Tuesday to avert a massive spread of COVID-19.

DAVAO CITY – Several densely populated communities here were put under total lockdown after several persons there got infected with the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Mayor Sara Duterte said the lockdown order covers Purok 3, 4 and 7 of Barangay 23-C, Purok 8 of Barangay 21-C, Purok Lipadas in Barangay Daliao, and a purok in Barangay Leon Garcia Sr.

At least 65 residents from Barangay 23-C were shuttled by health care workers to a COVID-19 isolation facility manned by the city for quarantine and monitoring.

“This decision stemmed from a positive case. The difference in these areas is that these are densely populated areas. And we know that it is very easy for a virus to spread in densely populated communities. That is why we need to lock it down,” Duterte explained.

Residents from Barangay 23-C were worried about the effect of the lockdown with several of them stuck either inside or outside of their respective villages.

A woman requested to cross a security barrier set up by authorities, explaining that she needed to pick up medicines from her relative’s house. She was prevented and was advised to ask the relative to bring the medicines to the other side of the barrier and authorities will hand it over to her.

“In a lockdown, no one can enter or exit. The Food and Medicine Pass is canceled. Rations and supplies will be delivered to them,” Duterte said.

The FM Pass was issued by the local government to control the movement of people going out of their homes to resupply provisions and medicine using a schedule based on the control number of the passes.