Governor Arthur Yap has ordered the imposition of intensified community quarantine in the entire Bohol province in a bid to bolster mitigating measures to keep the people safe from the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

Under the intensified community quarantine and calibrated lockdown within Bohol, as declared in executive order (EO) 18, Yap directed the closure or adjustment in the operation hours of business establishments.

“There is still a dire need to direct the closure of certain establishments or regulate their operation hours to prevent unnecessary gathering and congregation of people which increases the risk of possible local transmission,” Yap said.

Signed on Tuesday (March 24), the new EO will take effect 48 hours thereafter or today (March 26).

In the new EO, Yap wanted all business and commercial establishments closed until the community quarantine is lifted, with the exception of essential industries or establishments such as public markets.

Those exempted from closure, his order said, must follow certain conditions like observance of the 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. operating hours, requiring all vendors and buyers to wear masks, and one-entry, one-exit policy during operation hours of local government units.

“Stalls selling non-essential goods and commodities like non-food products, dry goods, plastic wares and flowers are not allowed to open and operate,” the EO said.

Also exempted from the closure are slaughterhouses, supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores and medical facilities such as hospitals, medical clinics, diagnostic centers and laboratories, pharmacies and drug stores, as well as water refilling stations.

The EO allows financial institutions such as banks, pawnshops, money transfer services, lending agencies, payment and remittance centers to operate. It also exempts public utilities such as electric companies or power distribution utilities, water services companies and telecommunications from the quarantine.

Gasoline stations and fuel outlets such as those selling LPG are also exempted.

While funeral parlors are exempted from restrictions, the new EO has prohibited public viewing and wake attendees are limited only to family members.

“Starting on Thursday, restaurants, fast food chains and other food establishments are allowed to serve their customers but their operation will only be limited to take-out or delivery orders,” Yap said in his order.

He encouraged all residents and sojourners in the province to stay in their respective residences and only go out of their homes for very important and urgent concerns like “going to work and buying food, groceries, medicines and other needs; going to hospitals and clinics for check-up, going to the banks to transact business, buying water and delivering such items to other households and individuals, except during the province-wide curfew hours wherein no person except frontliners and authorities are allowed outside”.

Yap enjoined all concerned government agencies and instrumentalities to coordinate with the Philippine National Police in strictly implementing the intensified community quarantine. (PNA)