Iloilo City will remain under general community quarantine (GCQ) until the end of the year.
Mayor Jerry Treñas and the city government’s COVID-19 Team agreed not to appeal the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to downgrade the GCQ status of the city.
The extension of GCQ aims to maintain the safety protocols and measures being enforced in the city to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.
“Kon magdowngrade kita buot silingon halugan ta ang pagpatuman sang protocols. Cases are going down but let us not fool ourselves that it’s going down because we are following the protocols. Once we start forgetting that there are protocols to follow, masaka naman ni ang cases,” said Treñas.
“Even during December siguraduhon ta nga masunod kita sa protocols asta nga mag-abot na ang vaccine,” he added.
On Friday afternoon, Nov. 27, Treñas issued an executive order (EO) prescribing guidelines on “the conduct of Christmas/New Year gatherings and other merry-making activities” in Iloilo City.
“While the Iloilo City Government recognizes the significance of continuing to celebrate family and cultural traditions during the holidays it must ensure the health and safety of everyone,” EO No. 194 stated.
The order “strongly encouraged” attendees of the gatherings be “limited to members of the family living in the same household.”
“In the event that families not living in the same household wish to get together for Christmas/New Year, the gathering must be held outdoors, and with proper observance of physical distancing.”
Christmas parties or gatherings that involve workers and others who belong to different households are “highly discouraged.”
“Persons with any signs of flu or symptoms of COVID-19, those who have been swabbed awaiting results, those with travel history for the past five (5) days and those tagged as ‘close contact’ of a person confirmed to have COVID-19 even if asymptomatic, must refrain from attending said Christmas/New Year parties/gatherings.”
If possible, avoid exchange-gift activities.
“However, if extremely necessary, place disinfectants and rubbing alcohol nearby and practice proper hand hygiene before and after opening presents.”
The city government also encouraged “zoning within the household.”
“During the gathering and while eating, the elderly, pregnant or those with comorbidities should stay in one area, while the younger ones or those who have high levels of exposure should stay in another.”
Organizers and attendees should also “refrain from serving and/or consuming alcoholic drinks.”
“Health and safety protocols are more difficult, if not impossible, to follow when there is too much alcohol in a person’s system. This applies to family gatherings conducted in a private setting as gatherings in public places are not encouraged. Further, the prohibition on the public consumption of liquor subsists.”
The city, based on the Nov. 27 case bulletin issued by the Department of Health (DOH-6), logged 4,336 COVID-19 infections, of which 4,066 have recovered and 121 have died.IMT
