TO: ALL SURIGAONONS AND VISITORS OF THE PROVINCE OF SURIGAO DEL NORTE
Subject: Clarification on the issuance of Memorandum Order No. 20-124
- It is never the intention of the Provincial Government of Surigao del Norte nor by the Provincial Governor to allow the continuation of the operation of the mining companies and mineral processing plants in our Province. It is never also an intention of the Provincial Government of Surigao del Norte nor by the Provincial Governor to allow the entry of foreign vessels in our territorial waters. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT HEADED BY GOV. LALO MATUGAS, MAINTAINED ITS POSITION IN THE PAST FEW DAYS TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND THE OPERATION OF EXPORT-ORIENTED COMPANIES (SUCH AS MINING AND MINERAL PROCESSING PLANTS) AS WELL AS SUSPENDING THE ENTRY OF FOREIGN VESSELS INTO OUR TERRITORIAL WATERS.
- However, just like in the case of other local government units, the Provincial Government of Surigao del Norte has been CONSTANTLY reminded by the higher authorities, in this particular case Gov Lalo received calls from USEC EPIMACO DENSING OF DILG and ASEC ERWIN ENAD of the Office of the President, to strictly follow the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 20-08, s. 2020 explicitly allowing the continued operation of EXPORT COMPANIES (such as mining and mineral processing plant) subject to the strict observance of social distancing measures. Copy of said MC is hereto attached as Annexes “1” to “1-B;”
- Said DTI MC No. 20-08 has also been invoked by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) reminding our Local Government Unit to ensure UNHAMPERED MOVEMENT OF ECOZONE WORKERS (wherein some of the mining companies and mineral processing plant in the Province is located). Copy of the letter of PEZA is hereto attached as Annex “2;”
- Also Regional Task Force for COVID-19 “One Caraga Shield” Resolution No. 7, s. 2020 allows the continued operation of the mining companies in the whole region of Caraga wherein this Provincial Government is duty-bound to follow. Copy of said Resolution No. 7 is hereto attached as Annexes “3” to “3-C;”
- In view of the foregoing facts and circumstances, it is with a heavy heart that the Provincial Government of Surigao del Norte had to issue Memorandum Order No. 20-124, s. 2020 to follow the aforementioned DTI Memorandum Circular and the One Caraga Shield Resolution No. 7 subject to the stringent conditions that shall be strictly complied with by the mining companies and mineral processing plant such as but not limited to the following:
a.) THE 14-DAY QUARANTINE AND SUCH OTHER QUARANTINE PROTOCOLS SHALL STRICTLY BE FOLLOWED BY THE MINING COMPANIES AND MINERAL PROCESSING PLANTS;
b.) NO ONE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BOARD THE FOREIGN VESSELS, EXCEPT THE STEVEDORES WHO ARE MANDATORILY REQUIRED TO WEAR PROTECTIVE GEARS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE MINING COMPANIES; and
c.) NO CREW SHALL BE ALLOWED TO DISEMBARK THE VESSELS
Official Copy of Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 20-124, s. 2020 is hereto attached as Annexes “4” to “4-A;”
- Despite the issuance of MC No. 20-124, still the Provincial Government maintain its position that no one should be allowed to enter the Province of Surigao del Norte without an appropriate Provincial Travel Pass, which can only be issued upon compliance with the stringent measures mentioned in Memorandum Order No. 20-123, s. 2020 issued by Gov. Lalo Matugas on 01 April 2020;
- TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE SITUATION, PLEASE BE REMINDED OF SECTION 6(F) OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11469, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “BAYANIHAN TO HEAL AS ONE ACT” IN RELATION TO EXISTING CRIMINAL LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS.
THIS PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN DOING ITS BEST TO SAVE ALL OUR PEOPLE FROM COVID-19, WHILE FOLLOWING THE ORDERS OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT BUT SHALL NOT ALLOW ANYBODY TO CAUSE CONFUSION AND UNREST JUST LIKE WHAT HAVE BEEN DOING BY SOME INDIVIDUALS OR GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS ON SOCIAL MEDIA; and
- For these reasons, the Provincial Government of Surigao del Norte, hereby continually asks the support of each Surigaonon including our visitors in the Province to act as one and help one another to maintain our COVID-19 FREE status.
The Full Memorandum Order No. 20-124 is presented below.
