BAGUIO CITY – The local government allowed the temporary operation of hardware, office supply, electrical supply and auto supply stores on April 9-11, 2020.
Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong issued Executive Order No. 75, series of 2020, allowing the temporary operation of the aforesaid establishments from 9 am to 7 pm.
However, the said establishments were directed to implement strict hygiene and sanitation as well as practice social distancing in their stores, some of the identified precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the dreaded Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in the city.
Further, owners of the establishments were reminded that only essential and skeletal employees must be made to report for work during the said dates that the same are allowed to operate.
Earlier, the city government allowed the temporary operation of the aforesaid establishments last March 27-29, 2020 in response to the clamor from consumers needing materials from such establishments.
The order stipulates that the city government, and numerous private sector volunteers and donors, have been busy producing the needed personal protective equipment (PPEs), face shields, face masks, and other equipment necessary for the government’s current response mechanisms to fight COVID-19.
Similarly, transportation of basic goods and relief provisions within and outside the city has been continuous over the past several weeks.
According to the order, in order to support the aforesaid efforts and ensure that the city government has a steady supply of PPEs for the frontliners and keep the private and public vehicles ready for immediate use, hardware, office supply, electrical supply and auto supply stores will be temporarily allowed to open on said dates subject to strict regulations.
President Rodrigo R. Duterte placed the entire Luzon under enhanced community quarantine following the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases and after which, the Chief Executive declared the whole country under a state of calamity to allow the local governments to access their funds for emergency relief assistance to the people who have been heavily impacted by the virtual stoppage of economic activities under the quarantine period.
Under the guidelines governing the implementation of the quarantine period, people have been advised to stay home while only one person per household will be allowed to go out of their residences to purchase food products, medicines and for emergency needs aside from those that are involved in the sale, manufacture and delivery of essential and basic needs of the people such as food among others, including health workers and other employees that are involved in the delivery of frontline services for the public.
By Dexter A. See
