Manila locks down 2 villages, buildings

MANILA – Two villages and two buildings in the city of Manila will be under lockdown starting 12:01 a.m. Thursday until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, due to rising coronavirus disease infections.

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso announced in a live Facebook update on Tuesday that based on Manila Health Department (MHD) data, Malate Bayview Mansion in Adriatico Street and Hop Inn Hotel in M. H. Del Pilar Street of Barangay 699, Malate has 17 Covid-19 cases; Barangay 351 in San Lazaro, Tayuman has 12; and Barangay 725, also in Malate, has 14.

“Lahat ng barangay na may 10 pataas na impeksyon ay isasara natin pansamantala ang kanilang buong barangay o building, ila-lockdown (All villages in the city with 10 or more infections will be temporarily closed, the whole village or building will be placed on lockdown),” he said.

Domagoso signed Executive Order (EO) No. 06 on Tuesday “declaring certain barangays or portion thereof, of the city as critical zone (CrZ) per zoning containment strategy in order to provide rapid response operation to contain the resurgence and spread of Covid-19”.

EO 6 will pave the way for disease surveillance and massive contact tracing, and verification or testing, and rapid risk assessment in the said areas.

Domagoso said the city will be strict in the implementation of the lockdowns, stating that only authorized persons outside of residence (APOR) will be allowed to go out of their homes.

“Lahat ng lalabas na hindi kasali sa mga pinapayagan. Ilalagay namin kayo sa aming quarantine facility ng 14 days kasi you are exposing other people sa danger, so ‘wag kayong lalabas (All those who are not allowed to go out of their homes but still go out will be placed in a quarantine facility of the city for 14 days because you are exposing other people to danger),” he said.

Those who will be given quarantine passes and may go out of their homes are health workers, military personnel, service workers (pharmacies, drug stores, and funeral homes), utility workers (energy, cable, internet, telecommunication companies, water, sanitation, and critical transport facilities including port operation), essential workers (goods delivery, food delivery, banking, and money services), barangay officials (Chairpersons, secretary, treasurers, councilors, and executive officers), and media practitioners accredited by the Presidential Communications Operations Office and the Inter-Agency Task Force.

Domagoso said the early announcement will give ample time for residents of the affected areas to buy their necessities.

The residents of Barangays 351 and 725 will be given food packs and cops will be deployed to ensure proper implementation of lockdown rules.

“Station Commanders of police stations covering the said barangays are hereby directed to employ and deploy officers and personnel in strategic locations and areas necessary for the effective implementation of the ECQ,” the EO read.

As of Tuesday, 154 new active cases were recorded by the MHD, bringing the total number of confirmed active cases in the city to 988.

There were also 74 new recoveries and two new fatalities, as total recoveries and deaths reached 27,639 and 817, respectively.