A scene in downtown Butuan City, regional center of Caraga. MindaNews file photo by H. MARCOS C. MORDENO
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 29 July) – President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Thursday placed seven areas in Mindanao under a General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions from August 1 to 15 and 16 other areas of the island under GCQ from August 1 to 31, upon the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
The cities of Cagayan de Oro and Gingoog in Misamis Oriental menwhile will remain under Enhanced Community Quarantine until August 7.
The areas under GCQ with heightened restrictions in Mindanao are Zamboanga del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro, Davao Occidental, and Butuan City.
In these areas, the following establishments are prohibited from operating: indoor tourist attractions; venues and courts for non-contact sports; venues for meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions, and social events; recreational venues such as internet cafes, amusement arcades, and entertainment; cockfighting; and theme parks and kiddie rides.
Meanwhile, business establishment that are allowed to operate are food and medicine manufacturers/stores; logistics service providers; business process outsourcing, essential retail and service establishments; dental, optometry, and other medical clinics; mining and quarrying; banks/ money transfer services; telco companies and third party contractors; establishments necessary for online buying and selling of goods;
20% for indoor dine-in services and 50% for outdoor dine-in services; 30% for salons, barbershops, parlors and other personal care services; 30% outdoor tourist attraction; Philippine Sweepstakes Charity Office lottery and horse racing; and establishments with Safety Seal Certificate are allowed to operate to an additional of 10% beyond prescribed capacity.
Gatherings are likewise prohibited, except for the provision of health, government and humanitarian services.
Religious gatherings are allowed up to 30% of venue capacity, while neurological services, wakes and funerals for those who died of causes other than COVID-19 shall be allowed for immed
iate family members only.
Persons aged below 18 and above 65, pregnant women, and people with comorbidities cannot leave their residences, except for obtaining essential goods and services, or for work in permitted industries while outdoor non-contact sports and other forms of exercise are allowed even for those aged below 15 and above 65.
From August 1 to August 31, the local government units in Mindanao under the normal GCQ are Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Sur, and Cotabato City. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
