By Samuel P. Medenilla & Lorenz S. Marasigan
THE surge in local novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases despite existing government measures against it prompted President Duterte on Monday night to place the entire Luzon island under “enhanced” quarantine, two days after a similar measure was imposed on the National Capital Region.
In an address to the country just before 8pm, the President announced, “I am placing the entire mainland of Luzon under quarantine until April 12, 2020, coinciding with the entire end of Holy Week.”
The important thing, he said, is to abruptly stop the “chain of transmission.”
“But let me make this clear,” he stressed. “This is not martial law—under the constitution,” he added, as martial law may only be imposed “if there is invasion, rebellion, or public safety requires it.”
The announcement will effectively stop not only all classes, but also work in Luzon, since people will be “subjected to strict quarantine,” and confined to their homes, Presidential spokesman Salvador S. Panelo had explained in an earlier press briefing, hours before Duterte’s address.
In the televised interview, Panelo earlier said, “No movement and no transportation except only for frontline health workers authorized government officials.”
Late Monday, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles presided at a briefing and said that public transportation will be stopped after midnight of Tuesday, March 17.
However, after Duterte addressed the nation, the DOTR still had no guidelines on restricting public transportation because they are awaiting the DILG’s instructions. “After we receive that, that’s the time we will create specific guidelines for the transportation sector,” said Assistant Secretary Goddes Hope Libiran.
Enforcers
According to Panelo, further restrictions on movement, whatever these might be, will be enforced by uniformed personnel in quarantined areas to ensure compliance.
Panelo said only those engaged in medical, humanitarian reasons as transport of basic services and necessities will be still be allowed around Luzon for the period of the declaration.
Panelo said this will ensure that medical services as well as food supply will still be accessible to the quarantine-affected communities.
However, he said the distribution of the basic necessities will be handled by local government units (LGU).
“Provision for food and essential services shall be regulated — the respective LGUs will have to create a system where food and essential needs will be delivered to the homes of the communities,” Panelo said.
Panelo said the other provision, which was implemented in Metro Manila such as a ban on mass gatherings, will also be expanded to other parts of Luzon.
It also includes travel restrictions banning land, domestic air, and domestic sea travel to and from Luzon.
Duterte seeks cooperation
The private sector will be asked to do work-from-home arrangement, Duterte said in his evening address.
He asked the people to cooperate with the uniformed personnel and all those tasked to enforce the quarantine.
At the same time, he said in rambling remarks outside of his prepared speech, “Puede naman kayong lumabas, isa, bili ng pagkain . . . [You may still come out; maybe one in the family can go out to buy food].”
He urged people to “pray for all health workers,” and “your government.”
DOTr studying ban
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is studying the possibility of a total transport ban in areas that are under the government’s so-called community quarantine, as it aims to further limit the movement of people amid the spread of the novel corona virus (Covid-19).
Quoting Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade, Transportation Assistant Secretary Goddes Hope O. Libiran said the agency’s mandate now is to help avert the already-skyrocketing number of Covid-19 cases in the country by restricting public transport through its recently-issued guidelines.
“The DOTr, at this time, is not in this to arrange, or assure mobility. We are here to encourage people to stay at home. This is temporary and they should understand this. Lives are at stake here,” Libiran said, quoting Tugade.
She replied in the affirmative when asked if the government considers imposing a total public transport ban in the quarantine areas that were identified by the Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).
“We will take that up in the IATF meeting. If they deem it necessary and beneficial, they will recommend it for the approval of the President,” Libiran said. “Of course there will be contingencies that will be prepared for implementation.”
Under the guidelines, which carry out the pronouncements made by President Duterte on the lockdown of Metro Manila due to the Covid-19 spread in the region, domestic land, air, and sea travel will be temporarily limited within Metro Manila.
The guidelines are to take effect until April 14.
Domestic land transport is limited within Metro Manila, but employees living outside the capital region may enter the borders, provided they submit to necessary health and security checks.
Already, this has caused quite a ruckus in social media, with people complaining of long queues at the borders, as each person has to be checked by the military and police before being allowed to enter the quarantine area.
Contract Management Specialist Ian Lim said he “had a taste of the quarantine going to Quezon City.” He hails from Montalban, Rizal, which is directly connected to Quezon City via Litex Road.
“It’s just not right. I can’t believe everyone should endure this just to go to work and earn. This is so unproductive in all levels,” he said.
Lim said it took him four hours before reaching the Litex terminal along Commonwealth Ave., as border officers only had one thermal scanner to use for the health checks. His place of work is at the Centris compound along Edsa, about 20 minutes away from Litex Market. On a normal day, it takes him about an hour and a half to get to work.
Aside from social distancing protocols, the government has also decided to limit the operational capacities of public utility vehicles such as jeepneys, buses, and UV express units.
Railways are also operating at 25 percent of their rated capacities, while movement at the Ninoy International Airport (Naia) has also been limited and domestic flights have been suspended. The maritime sector has also imposed more stringent measures to ensure that supply cargoes entering Metro Manila are safe.
Libiran earlier said that the policy, released Saturday evening, will be subject to daily review and revision, as necessary. This means that the transport guidelines may be either tightened, or relaxed, depending on the developments in the government’s fight against the global pandemic.
Image credits: Ace Morandante/ Malacañang Presidential Photographers Division via AP