Davao City – The Davao City government has re-imposed curfew from 7 PM to 5 AM starting from October 15 until December 31, 2020, as the city continues to face challenges to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
Buying liquors and other intoxicating drinks is also banned from 7 PM to 5 AM every day. Drinking in public places such as roads, alleys, open spaces, and other similar places is prohibited every day at any given time.
The surge in the number of Covid-19 cases continues as the city began to relax movement restrictions under the current Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) and the lifting of the curfew hours in July.
Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte said that the re-imposition of curfew is based on patient interviews with confirmed Covid-19.
“Base ni siya sa mga interviews sa confirmed Covid-19 patients, nakita nato ang mga lihok and we deemed it na kinahanglan na iregulate ang mga activities nga ginabuhat sa mga tao nga dili essential (This is based on interviews of confirmed Covid-19 patients. We have seen their movement and deemed it necessary to regulate the non-essential activities of the people),” she said on Monday’s broadcast of the Davao City Disaster Radio.
The curfew is also implemented to pre-empt the increase of cases due to after-work non-essential activities during the Christmas season.
Mayor Sara also said that there is a need to control the Covid-19 cases in Davao City because of the critical status of the number of beds dedicated to Covid-19 in the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC).
In her Executive Order No. 55 issued on Monday, Mayor Sara provided guidelines to be followed by Dabawenyos. The following are exempted from the curfew hours:
– All government workers who are on duty during curfew hours;
– All private offices and establishments employees who time in and time out of work within the curfew hours, this shall mean to include their travel to and from their residence;
– All medical doctors and veterinarians who need to work;
– Workers of public utility companies (energy, water, internet, etc.) conducting construction, maintenance, or emergency activities;
– Subsistence and business fishing activities, their vessels are subject to lawful inspection by the Maritime Police, Task Force Davao, Navy or Coast Guard, if there is a reasonable belief that there is an illegal activity or unlawful materials in the vessel;
– Individuals attending the wake of a family member;
– All medical, emergency, and disaster cases.
Mayor Sara said that the list of individuals exempted from the curfew is set to be updated with a suppletory EO to be issued this week.
Individuals who are inspected on the streets or stopped in checkpoints are required to present an employee’s ID of an establishment operating within the curfew hours.
Mayor Sara stressed that the curfew shall cover only individuals but offices, establishments, places of worship, and other institutions are encouraged to adjust their operating hours.
For transportation, Mayor Sara has tasked the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) to monitor passengers who will be stranded during the curfew hours and provide transportation augmentation.
Also, all videoke and karaoke inside private property shall be prohibited from 10 pm to 5 am every day. The Purok Leader can require police assistance at any time of the day to turn off a videoke/karaoke, if the sound volume has become disruptive to the neighbors of the owner of the machine/equipment.
All public venues and establishments that do not have a business permit to operate as a videoke, karaoke, or sing-along place are prohibited to operate their equipment 24 hours a day.
With the issuance of the EO 55, all existing applicable laws and ordinances shall be pursued against those who fail to follow the rules. (City Information Office | OIC Michael Manguhig, RPN DXKT Davao)
