The Davao City government has ordered the closure of more than 50 non-essential business establishments during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) period.
A cease and desist order was issued to the non-essential stores and shops upon the recommendation of the joint inspection team formed by Mayor Inday Sara Duterte composed of the department heads from the Business Bureau, City Legal Office, City Health Office, Davao City Investment and Promotion Center, Museo Dabawenyo and the Integrated Gender and Development Division.
Lorna Mandin, who leads the inspection team, said the establishments considered non-essential are lumber shops, hardware, laundry shops, cellphone accessory stores, gun stores, flower shops, beauty salons, stores selling garments and shoes, and dine-in eateries.
“Some of these stores are located in Mintal, Tugbok, Calinan, Buhangin, Cabantian, Sandawa, Matina, Toril, Dumoy, Catalunan Pequeno, Bankerohan and A. Pichon St. and Matina Aplaya,” Mandin said.
The Business Bureau also bared that five of the inspected establishments are subject to further investigation by the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) for possible filing of cases due to some violations of the ECQ protocol.
The Business Bureau warned to file a case and perpetually banned from operating if they continue to operate despite the closure order.
The inspection team conducted a random inspection of business establishment in the city following information posted by concerned citizens on the different media platforms of the city government, including in the Davao City Reports and the Operations Center that they remained open despite ECQ guidelines.
Under ECQ, Davao City only allows essential establishments such as groceries, supermarkets, wet markets (palengke), food commissaries, food processing or manufacturing, food delivery services, wholesale food outlets, convenience stores, sari-sari stores, hospitals, medical laboratories, pharmacies, drugstores, other health services/personnel, banks and ATMs, savings and credit cooperatives. money-transfer services and bayad centers, pawnshops, courier services, other delivery services, doctor’s and dentist’s clinics, gas stations, water refilling stations, LPG stations, business process outsourcing/call centers, funeral parlors, cemeteries, and mass media outlets to operate.
This policy is spelled out in Executive Order No. 23-A and 23-B s. of 2020. CIO
