Ilocos Norte lifts curfew during Christmas, New Year

The Ilocos Norte capitol lights up with Christmas colors during the holiday season. (Photo courtesy of Ilocos Norte provincial government).

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte––The Ilocos Norte government has lifted the curfew in the province during Christmas and New Year to allow residents more time to enjoy the holidays.

In an executive order issued Thursday, Dec. 23, Gov. Matthew Marcos Manotoc said there would be no curfew in the province from Dec. 24 to 25 and Dec. 31 to mark the “customary gathering of clans that typically last until midnight” during these days.

“It is just fitting and proper to afford the people an opportunity to celebrate these very important traditions with their families and loved ones,” the governor said.

Manotoc also eased the curfew hours and liquor ban in the same EO from 12 midnight to 4 a.m. The province had been imposing a five-hour curfew from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The relaxed quarantine curbs came as Ilocos Norte recorded 13 active COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday, its lowest since it dealt with and contained a COVID-19 outbreak in the past six months.

No new COVID-19 cases were also logged in the province since Dec. 19, data from the provincial government showed.

lzb