QC gov’t to residents: Report establishments flouting quarantine protocols

MANILA, Philippines – The Quezon City government has asked its citizens to report establishments that breach health protocols under relaxed quarantine guidelines.

Mayor Joy Belmonte on Tuesday said stricter monitoring is a “must” with more people expected to hit the streets following the gradual loosening of quarantine guidelines.

“Dahil mas marami nang tao ang lalabas sa kanilang mga tahanan, kailangang mas paigtingin pa natin ang pagbabantay, lalo na sa mga establisimyento na pupuntahan ng karamihan,” she said in a statement.

“The key to preventing a spike in cases is to ramp up our surveillance and enforcement efforts, and this is where we need the help of ‘QCitizens’ because our frontliners can only do so much,” she added.

(Because more people will now go out of their homes, we need to be on the lookout more for violators, especially in those establishments that will be frequented. The key to preventing a spike in cases is to ramp up our surveillance and enforcement efforts, and this is where we need the help of QCitizens because our frontliners can only do so much.)

“Kaya kailangan natin ang tulong ng lahat upang maiparating sa amin ang mga hindi sumusunod sa mga itinakdang patakaran upang mapigil ang pagkalat ng COVID-19,” she added.

(That’s why we need everyone’s help in reporting to us the violators of the regulations to avoid the spread of COVID-19.)

Belmonte added that the city government would open a link on its official website where residents can report violators.

The city has recently reported that 90 percent of its confirmed COVID-19 cases have recovered while its reproduction number is now at 0.67, closer to the World Health Organization’s ideal number of 0.50.

“Mauuwi lang sa wala ang ating mga nakamit na tagumpay laban sa COVID-19 kung muli na namang tataas ang kaso sa ating lungsod,” the QC mayor said.

(Our success in battling Covid-19 will be for nothing if the cases in our city rise again)

Aside from planning to open the economy, the city is also finalizing more relaxed community quarantine guidelines under the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) directives and regulations.

The city plans to shorten its curfew hours to 12 midnight to 4 a.m. with the exemption of essential activities that operate on a 24-hour basis, such as market operations, food take-out and delivery, pharmacies, hospitals, convenience stores, and delivery of goods.

Restaurants, hotels and other tourism establishments may operate until 12 midnight, but orders of alcoholic beverages will only be allowed until 10 p.m. Licensed liquor dealers will be allowed to sell on retail or delivery from 8 a.m to 10 p.m.

Persons aged 18 to 65 years will be allowed to leave home, provided they have company ID, government-issued ID, school ID, Authorized Person Outside Residence (APOR) ID, barangay ID, or certification. They will not be required to present quarantine passes, but it will be honored as an alternative to the previously mentioned IDs.

The proposal to shorten the curfew period and allow 18 to 65 years old to go out has been approved earlier by the Metro Manila mayors.

Religious gatherings will be allowed up to 30 percent of the church’s capacity while work-related gatherings and other unavoidable gatherings must not exceed 50 percent of a venue’s capacity or 100 persons, whichever is lower. Attendees must always observe minimum health standards, such as the use of face masks, disinfecting of hands and physical distancing.

Restaurants, hotels and other tourism establishments may operate until 12 midnight.

But orders of alcoholic beverages will only be allowed until 10 p.m. Duly licensed liquor dealers will be allowed to sell on retail or delivery from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. [ac]