Davao City adopts national IATF measures on ECQ, GCQ

Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte has issued a new directive adopting the national government’s Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

The mayor on Monday, May 4, 2020, issued Executive Order No. 28-A “An Order Providing for the Extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine and other Activities Thereafter” adopting the provisions for ECQ in the Omnibus Guidelines.

Mayor Sara said the Omnibus Guidelines will now guide the city government in the implementation of Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) and General Community Quarantine (GCQ) for the whole country.

“Please read the Omnibus Guidelines and get a copy at the Official Gazette website for your guidance,” Mayor Sara said.

Among salient points of the guidelines include allowing the operation with a skeleton workforce of laundry shops; private establishments involved in the provision of essential goods and services, and activities in the value chain related to food and medicine production. Laundry shops were previously disallowed in Davao City since the implementation of ECQ on April 4.

The Omnibus Guidelines also allow the operation of other goods such as clothing, accessories, hardware, housewares, school, and office supplies but for delivery only.

No hotels are also allowed to operate, except those accommodating: 1) guests who have existing booking accommodations for foreigners as of May 1, 2020; 2) guests who have existing long-term bookings; 3) Distressed Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and stranded Filipino or foreign nationals; d) repatriated OFWs in compliance with approved protocols; e) Non-OFWs who may be required to undergo mandatory facility-based quarantine and; f) healthcare workers and other employees from exempted establishments under the Omnibus Guidelines and applicable Memoranda from the Executive Secretary. Provided that hotel operations shall be limited to the provision of basic lodging guests.

Also, residential and commercial rents falling due within the duration of the ECQ and GCQ, the Omnibus Guidelines set a grace period of thirty (30) days from the last due date, or until such time that the community quarantine is lifted shall be observed, without incurring interests, penalties, fees, or other charges.

A copy of the Omnibus Guidelines is available for download at https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2020/04/30/executive-order-no-112-s-2020/ or through the official Davao City Government website at https://bit.ly/IATFOmnibus CIO