This Week in Bacolod (August 23 to 29, 2020)

The city government of Bacolod has issued the fifth extension of MGCQ from August 15 to August 31, 2020. Executive Order No. 35 was signed by Mayor Evelio Leonardia after Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque announced that Bacolod City shall be one of the areas that will remain under MGCQ. The liquor ban, Sunday closure of three major public markets in Bacolod, and the 8:00 PM to 4:00 AM curfew remain to be implemented until further notice [1].

The barangay captains from Barangay Mansilingan and Barangay Banago have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Aside from the two barangay officials, the son of the Mansilingan barangay captain, a female staff member of a councilor, and a janitor from Negros Occidental High School have also contracted the disease. In response to this, the barangay hall in Mansilingan was sealed off for a week for disinfection [2].

A ban on non-essential and tourist-related travel to the town of Hinoba-an was imposed by Mayor Ernesto Estrao to prevent local transmission. The executive order issued additional health and safety measures for the travel of Hinoba-an residents to and from Bacolod City and other high-risk areas within the province.

Under the EO, residents should present documents to travel outside the town and will be permitted to travel to Bacolod City and other hot zones for the duration of 48 hours only. Those who exceed the maximum hours stay in the high-risk areas will be quarantined in a facility upon return. Meanwhile, existing reservations from tourists outside Hinoba-an must be rescheduled, and non-essential visits to relatives residing outside the municipality will be temporarily prohibited [3].

Both the city government and establishment owners were urged by local business leader Frank Carbon to implement strict health protocols in order to decrease the number of local transmissions in Bacolod City. Carbon suggested containment measures in all public markets, small wet markets, sidewalk vending, and even in public transportation hubs, which he also identified as high-risk areas. He strongly suggests the closure of pantries and eating areas and dismissal of employees from work by 4:00 PM to avoid congestion at the public utility vehicle terminals [4].

Go to Yoorekka for more COVID-19 updates in Bacolod.