There is no restriction in the movement of people between this city and the province of Iloilo amid the downgrading of the metropolis to the general community quarantine (GCQ) effective Aug.16 as ordered by the National Inter-Agency Task Force.
In his press conference on Monday, Aug. 17, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. said the difference between the modified GCQ and the GCQ is the operational capacity of establishments and public gatherings.
“We have no restriction on inter-zonal travel. You know the economy of the province and city is one. We just have to make adjustments in the monitoring of persons who go around the province,” he said.
He added that under the omnibus guidelines, there is no border restriction between areas that are placed under GCQ and MGCQ.
He said the province has “exercised the highest level of quarantine procedures for those coming from Manila” when the latter was placed at GCQ. Defensor said Metro Manila is still a high risk area.
“But I don’t think that would be (a) problem in Panay,” he said.
Meanwhile, Defensor said the province has “succeeded in preventing the transmission” of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) to local residents and health workers.
He said transmission could not be avoided because it even happens in hospitals even with the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Based on the regional bulletin released by the Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD6) on Sunday, Iloilo province recorded an additional 14 cases.
The governor is now finalizing the executive order (EO) relative to the classification of the province as MGCQ area. Perla Lena/PNA
