Negros Oriental & NIR

Negros Oriental Provincial Government issues Executive Order 35 Series of 2020

The province of Negros Oriental has posted the new Executive Order No. 35 Series of 2020 through Facebook. This is an order on the implementation of Modified General Community Quarantine in the Province of Negros Oriental. (See video version below!)

Section 1. Guidelines to be implemented while the Province of Negros Oriental is declared under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ);

Section 5 of the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines with Amendments, dated June 25, 2020, issued by the Inter Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (lATF) is hereby adopted, and the following protocol shall be observed in the entire Province of Negros Oriental, to wit:

1. Minimum public health standards shall be complied with at all times for the duration of the MGCQ.

1.1. The Cities and Municipalities in the Province of Negros Oriental are authorized to formulate and implement health and safety protocols as well as guidelines they deem fit in their locality.

2. The movement of all persons in areas placed under MGCQ shall be limited to accessing essential goods and services, for work in the offices or industries permitted to operate hereunder, and for other activities permitted under this Section.

3. Any person below  21 years old, those who are 60 years old and above, those with immunodeficiency, comorbidity, or other health risks, and pregnant women shall be required to remain in their residences at all times; Provided that all activities and movements allowed under other Sections of these Guidelines for the foregoing persons shall continue to be permitted under MGCQ.

4. Indoor and outdoor non-contact sports and other forms of exercise such as but not limited to walking, jogging, running, biking, golf, swimming, tennis, badminton, equestrian, range shooting, and skateboarding are allowed. Provided, that the minimum public health standards such as the wearing of masks and the maintenance of social distancing protocols, and no sharing of equipment where applicable, are observed. For this purpose, the prohibition in Section 5(3) does not apply.

5. Mass gatherings such as but not limited to, movie screenings, concerts, sporting events, and other entertainment activities, religious services, and work conferences shall be allowed provided that participants shall be limited to 50% of the seating or venue capacity.

6. Limited face-to-face or in-person classes may be conducted in Higher Education Institutions provided there is strict compliance with minimum public health standards, consultation with local government units, and compliance with guidelines set by CHED.

6.1. Face-to-face WET training and competency assessment may be conducted at up to 50% training and assessment site capacity, provided there is strict compliance with minimum public health standards, TESDA Guidelines and consultation with local government units.

6.2. For K-12 Basic Education, the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan of the DepEd shall be adopted.

7. Work in all public and private offices may be allowed to resume physical reporting to work at full operating capacity, with alternative work arrangements for persons who are 60 years old and above, those with immunodeficiency, comorbidity, or other health risks, and pregnant women.

8. The road, rail, maritime, and aviation sectors of public transportation shall be allowed to operate at the capacity in accordance with guidelines issued by the DOTr. Provided, that in all public transports, a strict 1-meter distance between passengers shall be observed and appropriate engineering controls shall be in place.

9. Private transportation shall be allowed subject to the guidelines provided by DOTr.

10. All public and private construction projects shall be allowed subject to strict compliance with the construction safety guidelines issued by the DPWH for the implementation of infrastructure projects during the COVID-19 pandemic.

11. Except as otherwise provided below, all permitted establishments and activities under Categories 1, 2 and 3 of Section 4(6) and those in previous Sections of these Omnibus Guidelines shall be allowed to operate or be undertaken at full operational capacity:

a. Barber shops, salons, and other personal care service establishments, at a maximum of 50 percent of venue capacity;

b. Dine-in restaurants, fast food and food retail establishments, including those in supermarkets, grocery stores, and food preparation establishments, at a maximum of 50 percent of seating capacity

c. Category 4 and all other establishments not permitted to operate under previous Sections of these Guidelines, at a maximum of 50 percent operational capacity. However, for hotels and other accommodation establishments, only those accredited as provided by law and relevant DOT and DILG issuances may operate, and only upon issuance of a Certificate of Authority to operate by the DOT. For this purpose, DOT and DILG shall work with LGUs to ensure compliance of accommodation establishments.

 c.1. The Negros Oriental IATF-EID allows the LGUs to regulate domestic tourism activities, i.e. scuba diving and other activities, in their respective localities subject to their local health and safety protocols and guidelines.

12. Work in government offices may be at full operational capacity, or under such alternative work arrangements as agencies may deem appropriate in accordance with the relevant rules and regulations issued by the CSC.

13. Accredited diplomatic missions and international organizations may resume full operations.

SECTION 2. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 8 on the General Provisions of the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines with Amendments, dated June 25, 2020, issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) is hereby adopted, to wit:

1. LGUs are enjoined to enact the necessary ordinances to enforce curfew only for non-workers in jurisdictions placed under MECQ, GCQ and MGCQ to penalize, in a fair and humane manner, violations of the restrictions on the movement of people as provided under these Omnibus Guidelines. Law enforcement agencies, in implementing and enforcing said curfew ordinances, are likewise strongly enjoined to observe fair and humane treatment of curfew violators. Public transportation, however, shall not be restricted by such curfew ordinances.

For such purpose, the pertinent and applicable existing curfew ordinances issued by the Province of Negros Oriental shall be enforced in so far as it will not contravene the above provision.

2. As a matter of declared national policy and pursuant to paragraphs (aa) and (bb), Section 4 of the Republic Act No. 11469, all banks, quasi-banks, financing companies, lending companies, and other financial institutions, public and private, including the Government Service Insurance System, Social Security System and Pag-ibig Fund, are directed to implement a minimum of a 30-day grace period from due date or until such time that the ECQ or MECQ is lifted, whichever is later, for the payment of all loans, including but not limited to salary, personal, housing, and motor vehicle loans, as well as credit card payments, falling due within the period of ECQ and MECQ, and without incurring interests, penalties, fees, or other charges. Persons with multiple loans shall likewise be given a minimum 30-day grace period from due date or until such time that the ECQ or MECQ is lifted, whichever is later, for every loan.

For residential and commercial rents falling due within the duration of the ECQ, MECQ, and GCQ, on residential lessees and micro-, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and sectors not permitted to operate during said period, a grace period of 30 days from the last due date or until such time that the community quarantine is lifted, shall be observed, whichever is longer, without incurring interests, penalties, fees, or other charges. The foregoing rules on grace periods shall have retroactive effect starting 17th of March 2020 in areas where the applicable community quarantine had been declared. The Inter-Agency Task Force Covid 19 of the province of Negros Oriental and pertinent and appropriate Provincial Offices of the national government agencies in the Province of Negros Oriental shall constantly and regularly monitor those mentioned establishments and to perform appropriate actions to ensure compliance with the foregoing provision.

3. The operation of industries and establishments identified in preceding sections are subject to the visitorial and enforcement powers of the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Trade and Industry, and other appropriate agencies to ensure compliance with these Omnibus Guidelines, especially the compliance with the provisions on maximum allowable operational capacity in establishments, as well as minimum public health standards and protocols.

4. National government agencies and instrumentalities shall adopt measures lawful and necessary to implement and enforce the minimum public health standards as defined herein. Such measures shall be in accordance with the minimum health standards set by DOH and other relevant national agencies and shall not be unreasonable or unduly burdensome. However, the private sector is encouraged to adopt stricter health standards concerning their own operations. Compliance of private sector establishments with the Joint DTI-DOLE Return-to-Work Guidelines, DOH Return-to-Work Guidelines, and guidelines issued by the aforementioned appropriate sector-relevant national government agency, including their future amendments, shall be considered sufficient compliance with minimum public health standards. In accordance with DOH, the testing of all returning employees of a private sector entity shall not be required as a condition precedent for their operation. In no case shall the testing of all returning workers be construed as a condition precedent for his/her return.

5. All persons are mandated to wear face masks, ear loop masks, indigenous, reusable, do-it-yourself masks, or face shields, handkerchiefs, or such other protective equipment or any combination thereof, which can effectively lessen the transmission of COVID-19, whenever they go out of their residences, pursuant to existing guidelines issued by the national government subject to fair and humane penalties or punishments that may be imposed by LGUs or implemented by law enforcement agencies, respectively. LGUs are hereby enjoined to use IATF-endorsed contact tracing and contact monitoring applications (StaySafe.ph and TanodCOVID) where they are available or use community-based contact tracing and contact monitoring. Concerned LGUs are hereby enjoined to issue the necessary executive order or ordinance to this effect.

The pertinent and applicable Provincial Ordinances on the matter shall be enforced.

6. Supermarkets, public and private wet markets, grocery stores, agri-fishery supply stores, veterinary supply stores, pharmacies, drug stores, and other retail establishments engaged in the business of selling essential goods are strongly encouraged to extend their store operations to a maximum of 12 hours. LGUs are directed to allow such establishments to operate pursuant to the foregoing. provided that in the operation of wet markets, LGUs are encouraged to adopt reasonable schemes to ensure compliance with strict social distancing measures, such as, but not limited to, providing for specific daily schedules per sector, barangay, or purok, as the case may be. In no case shall such schemes involve narrowing the hours of operation of the foregoing establishments.

7. Acts of discrimination inflicted upon healthcare workers, repatriated OFWs and non-OFWs, COVID-19 cases, whether confirmed, recovered or undergoing treatment, as well as suspect and probable cases, and Persons under Monitoring are denounced in the strongest of terms. Acts in furtherance of discrimination, such as, but not limited to, coercion, libel, slander, physical injuries and the dishonor of contractual obligations such as contracts of lease or employment, shall be dealt with criminally, civilly, and/or administratively. LGUs are enjoined to issue the necessary executive orders and/or enact ordinances prohibiting and penalizing these discriminatory acts.

SECTION 3. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE.

If any part, section, or provision of this Executive Order is held invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 4. REPEAUNG CAUSE.

 All previous executive Orders issued that are inconsistent with these provisions of these Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 5. EFFECTIVITY.

These Guidelines shall take effect immediately.

Watch the video version of the Negros Oriental Executive Order 35 Series of 2020 here:

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DaisyB

I am Daisy. I currently live in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. The art of journalism has caught my attention ever since I was a little girl. Writing is a passion only a few can get and fewer people to achieve. With a touch of opportunity, I was able to commit myself to following my passion for writing. Follow me in my adventure in finding new reliable information!

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