MANILA Mayor Isko Moreno directed barangay bureau director Romy Bagay to issue a memorandum to the 896 heads of barangays in the city to prepare this early for a possible implementation of an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) in an effort to contain the exponential spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant.

The said memo, which was issued a day before Malacanang announced the general community quarantine (GCQ) status in the NCR from August 1 to 7, said that those seeking vaccination will be allowed to get out of their residence even without the required quarantine passes, provided they are able to present their QR codes and waivers.

The quarantine passes to be issued will no longer require the signature of the Manila Police District station commander who has jurisdiction over the home of the resident going out for vaccination, the mayor added.

In the said memo issued in the evening of July 28 and addressed not only to barangay chairs but also to Sangguniang Barangay members and other barangay officials, Bagay said the mayor would like them to encourage their constituents to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

“To further carry out this dire tive, you are to extend all possible assistance to your constituents who wish to get vaccinated,” Bagay stated.

In case of an ECQ, Bagay said that only one quarantine pass following the odd-even scheme shall be issued to each family and only authorized persons outside residence or APOR will be allowed to go out of residence as per Inter-Agency Task Force guidelines.

Quarantine passes ending in 1,3,5,7 and 9 are allowed to procure essential needs during the allowable hours of Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from 5 a.m. to 12 noononly on Sundays.

Those ending in 2,4,6, 8 and 0 on the other hand, may go out for the same reason on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. On Sundays, the allowable hours are from 12 noon to 6 p.m.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Itchie G. Cabayan