BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on second reading and for publication a proposed ordinance prescribing news norms of operations in all businesses, transportation facilities, work places, schools and public places in the city until the prevailing Luzonwide enhanced community quarantine is lifted.
The ordinance authored by all members of the city legislative body states it will be a declared policy of the city government to require all transportation facilities, business establishments, schools, work places and public places to practice and implement health norms in their offices, facilities and establishments as strategies to prevent the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), particularly cough etiquette, not spitting in public transport; daily preventive cleaning and dis-infection and opening of windows for good ventilation.
Under the proposed ordinance, all transportation facilities, business establishments, schools, work places and public places shall post signages in their premises on the aforesaid new norms of operations that will be existing in the city.
The ordinance stipulates that non-compliance by government offices to the pertinent provisions of the proposed measure shall be subject to the provisions of Article 114(b) of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act (RA) 7160 or the Local Government Code which provides that any public officer or employee who violates an ordinance may be meted administrative disciplinary action, without prejudice to the filing of the appropriate civil or criminal action.
On the other hand, private institutions that do not comply with the provisions of the ordinance shall be fined P5,000 for each offense.
The ordinance requires all agencies and offices in the city, schools, businesses, work places and public places to post the new norms in their offices.
The ordinance tasked the Information Office of the City Council and the office of the City Mayor to cause the widest dissemination of the proposed measure.
Further, the ordinance requested media outfits in the city to assist in the dissemination of the new norms that had been crafted as one of the preventive measures to avert the rapid spread of the dreaded COVID-19 in the city.
The ordinance designates the City Health Services Office, the Baguio City Police Office and the Public Order and Safety Division, and Permits and Licensing Division of the Office of the City Mayor to be responsible in the implementation of the same.
The ordinance asserts that working and healing together as one calls for everyone to have stake in effectively and efficiently addressing the global pandemic, thus, the health department and other medical experts strongly recommend for the adoption of the new norms in society in addition to the strict implementation of physical distancing and wearing of masks to prevent the rapid spread of the deadly virus.
Earlier, the World Health Organization gave various recommendations for a post-lockdown scenario.
By Dexter A. See
