Seniors, youths put under 24-hour curfew in Visayas

CEBU CITY, Cebu, Philippines – In a bid to save those vulnerable to the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, authorities ordered all senior citizens and students in the Visayas to remain at home.

Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Diño issued on Saturday an advisory mandating a 24-hour curfew for the elderly and young people in Central, Western, and Eastern Visayas.

Exempted from the curfew are students who volunteer for medical-related work or are active volunteers of any medical-related activities.

On the other hand, senior citizens or those 65 years and above can only go out of their houses during medical emergencies or when they undergo routine medical procedures.

In Cebu province, the order shall take effect at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, said Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia in a press conference at the Capitol on Saturday.

The governor said she would issue an executive order to formalize the new protocols.

All those who go out of their houses, she said, are required to bring an identification card.

In the coming days, Garcia said she would also issue another executive order limiting the purchases in supermarkets or groceries to prevent panic buying.

For example, a customer will only be limited to buy a certain kilo of rice or a specific number of bottles of alcohol.

/atm