To control the sudden surge in coronavirus cases in Dipolog, the City Government of Dipolog adopts and establishes a Bubble Setup in the movement of persons going in and out of its city borders.
Executive Order No. 11, s. 2021 which orders the implementation of the Bubble Setup shall take effect on Monday, April 19, 2021 and shall be valid and in effect until April 30, 2021.
Here are what you need to know about the Dipolog Bubble.
What is a bubble?
A bubble setup applies to a cluster of people restricted from going in and out of a covered area unless they are authorized to do so.
It means that only authorized persons can do essential travel into and out of our city borders. This is different from a lockdown, because most businesses remain operational. However, tighter restrictions are in place to control mobility for a given period.
Who are allowed to travel in and out of the bubble?
As similarly provided in Resolution 104 of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, only the following authorized persons outside their residences (APORs) can get in and out of the bubble, still subject to pertinent travel documentary requirements, as may be applicable:
- Essential workers with valid identification cards
- Health and emergency frontline service personnel
- Government officials on official business only
- Duly-authorized humanitarian assistance workers
- Persons traveling for humanitarian reasons
- Persons going to travel abroad
- Persons crossing zones/borders for work or business or going back home
- Returning overseas Filipinos and overseas Filipino workers
Goods and cargoes shall remain unhampered pursuant to pertinent national directives. However, the PNP assigned at the city borders has the authority to check and inspect the vehicles for violation of protocols and/or trafficking of unauthorized persons into the locality. It likewise has the authority to momentarily hold cargo and delivery vehicles should and when the consignee or establishment of destination is still closed or unavailable to avoid its personnel from loitering around the city.
Who can move around within the bubble?
- Persons within the bubble are allowed freedom of movement provided that they follow strict minimum health and safety protocols such as wearing of face mask and face shield and observing proper social distancing. However, those below 18 and above 65 years old, those with comorbidity and other health risks, as well as pregnant women must remain in their residences.
- Those with indispensable activities such as obtaining essential goods and services, and necessary work or business transactions.
- Persons with urgent and emergency needs.
What activities and establishments are allowed?
- Restaurants, cafes and other food establishments are allowed subject to stricter protocols. Generally, no dine-in is allowed except if the establishment can implement the following features:
- Customers shall be limited to 30% of the venue capacity
- Diners shall be seated at least one seat apart, in a diagonal configuration
- Adoption of the Dipolog E-Pass (powered by SafePass) as a digital contact-tracing application in lieu of the logbook
- Take-out and delivery services are highly encouraged, provided that minimum health standards are likewise strictly observed.
- Health-inducing activities and outdoor non-contact sports are allowed, but limited to not more than 10 persons in any given group. Athletic competitions, sporting events, and cockfighting are suspended, except as may be allowed by the national IATF.
- Essential mass gatherings, including religious services, are subject to a maximum of 30% of the venue or seating capacity. However, social gatherings such as weddings, birthdays and baptisms shall be subject to the 30% maximum capacity but not exceed 100 persons, whichever is lower.
- Resorts and other tourist spots shall likewise be subject to 30% operational capacity, but shall admit only guests and clients from within the bubble. Accredited hotels and pension houses may accept guests from outside the covered area provided they have prior coordination or acceptance from the Incident Command Post (ICP) and limited to indispensable travels only. Leisure travels, and other non-essential inbound and outbound trips are not allowed.
- Other establishments may remain open, provided that they adopt the Dipolog E-Pass (powered by SafePass) and subject to observance of minimum health standards, except for the following:
- Casinos, billiard halls, and other gambling places;
- Beerhouses, karaoke bars, nightclubs and similar establishments whose primary business is the serving of alcoholic drinks;
- Kids amusement;
- Such other public places as may be identified by the LGU.
