Zambo Sur fights COVID-19 surge with bar, resort closures, ban on alcoholic drinks
PAGADIAN CITY—Gov. Victor Yu has ordered all beach resorts and bars in Zamboanga del Sur closed in the meantime as COVID-19 cases in the province surge.
Yu signed Executive Order No. 2021-13, which took effect on Monday (May 3) and will take effect until the end of May, banning the selling of alcoholic drinks and closing entertainment venues like karaoke bars, clubs, concert halls and movie houses, according to an advisory of the provincial Inter Agency Task Force (IATF).
The order also barred the operations of these facilities:
• country fairs or perya
• playgrounds, playrooms and facilities offering kiddie rides
• cockfighting arenas or cockpits although online cockfighting facilities licensed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. operating solely for e-sabong are exempted
Some hotels and accommodation facilities accredited by the Department of Tourism (DOT) are allowed to operate on limited capacities as long as they observe health protocols, according to the provincial IATF.
Dine-in services in eateries and food outlets are allowed up to 30 percent of their seating capacities. These establishments are required to strictly observe health protocols, too.
The provincial IATF also restricted the movement of people requiring these groups of people to stay at home at all time:
• Children below 15 years old
• Seniors above 65 years old
• People with comorbidity or other diseases which raises COVID-19 mortality
Only family members with clearance are allowed to leave their homes to buy food and medicines.
As of May 2, the total number of active cases in the province reached 326, higher than the peak of 256 cases on April 29, according to Marlon Panares, assistant provincial information officer.
Of the 326 COVID-19 cases in the province, 166 cases are in Pagadian City, which also posted its case peak on Nov. 3, 2020 with 99 cases that earned for it a high-risk classification at that time, according to Audrey Cabato, executive director of the city’s Emergency Operations Center.
TSB
