The escalation of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the past two days triggered the city government of Baguio to implement stringent measures to contain the spread of the virus.
Starting today until October 14, Baguio mayor Benjamin Magalong ordered that private social gatherings in close quarters and indoors like in hotels, conference halls, convention venues and other similar premises will not be allowed without his approval.
In his executive order, those who will conduct gatherings such as birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, gatherings to mourn departed loved ones and non-work-related events must ensure the venue is inspected by the city health services office before the event.
Baguio residents who will hold gatherings at their dwellings shall be allowed provided that they will have to inform their barangay officials first and basic health protocols must be observed at all times.
Magalong highly encouraged that attendees of these events be limited to immediate family members who are not immunocompromised or who do not have underlying health conditions.
The city posted the highest number of COVID-19 infection in the last two days starting on Monday with 136 new cases.
Meanwhile, in a separate advisory the mayor will require all Government officials and government frontline personnel who are not assigned to Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, and Tublay (BLISTT) area entering the city starting October 3 and onwards to present negative results of RT-PCR or rapid antigen COVID-19 tests conducted within a period of 72 hours prior to their entry. Or they shall submit themselves for testing at the Baguio City central triage and testing Center.
“Duly authorized humanitarian assistance actors, travelers with indispensable, or work-related, one-time transactions, or whose travel purposes do not require regular or frequent entry into the city and persons traveling for humanitarian, or medical, reasons and their companions shall be included” He said.
The advisory includes:
Repatriated OFW’s and Filipinos returning from abroad are also expected to follow the procedures set by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and the Department of Tourism.
Entry of domestic tourists shall be governed by the implementing guidelines of the Ridge and Reef Travel Corridor project, the details of which are incorporated in their registration through the V.I.S.I.T.A. website.
Returning Baguio residents, employees entering the city for the first time since the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine, and non-resident students may opt to undergo a 14-day quarantine under the supervision of their barangay officials as an alternative to the COVID-19 testing.
Persons with indispensable or work-related travel purposes regularly passing through the city checkpoints, who are holders of COVID Shield travel authority documents (with inter-region work clearance certificates attached) or official travel orders as issued by their respective offices, will be asked to undergo RT-PCR or rapid antigen testing once a month.
After launching the “Ridge and Reef Baguio – Region 1 Travel Corridor.” program of the Department of Tourism to revitalized the local tourism industry, Baguio will open its door to local tourists from Region 1 starting tomorrow but the tentative arrival of tourists will be on October 11 based on the approved reservations.
(OIC Joe Manzano, RPN DZBS Baguio, photo courtesy of DZBS Baguio)