MANILA, Philippines — Manila Mayor Isko Moreno will put the entire District 1 of Tondo under a 48-hour “hard lockdown” from May 3 to 5.
Moreno on Thursday issued Executive Order No. 22 placing District 1 of Tondo under a 48-hour shutdown “for the purposes of disease surveillance, verification or testing and rapid risk assessment in relation to COVID-19.”
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The lockdown will start May 3, 5 a.m. to 5 a.m. on May 5.
Moreno noted that as early as April 19, they have recorded 53 COVID-19 infections and 95 suspected cases in District 1 of Tondo, Manila.
As of Wednesday, Tondo 1 “has 83 active cases of COVID-19 and 231 suspects of the virus,” the city’s Public Information Office said.
It added that about 140,166 families in the area will receive food packs on Thursday and Friday.
The city mayor earlier enforced a 48-hour shutdown on Sampaloc district, which had the most number of COVID-19 infections in the Philippine capital, from April 23 to April 25.
During this period, residents will be confined to their own homes.
Only health workers, people having a medical emergency, law enforcement authorities, government workers, service workers, barangay officers and media practitioners are allowed to head out of their residences.
“Merchants in the Divisoria area within the vicinity of Barangays Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 shall be allowed to vend within the allowable time and place prescribed by the City,” the order read.
Passing through the said area will only be allowed for Authorized Persons outside Residence, as provided by guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Essential services of non-residents of District 1 such as delivery of food and maintenance, repair of electric, telecommunications, water, sanitation and transport facilities may be allowed.
“All other commercial, industrial, retail, institutional and other activities not mentioned in above exemptions in the said district shall be suspended within the specified period of the shutdown,” it added.
Sampaloc shutdown
The city government previously implemented a "hard lockdown" on the Sampaloc district, with the Manila Police District saying it was needed because people seemed to be taking the threat of the virus for granted.
"So the local government believes a total lockdown is needed to stop the movement of people and prevent the spread of the virus," Police Brig. Gen. Rolando Miranda, MPD director, said.
At least 950 police and military personnel were deployed to enforce the 48-hour lockdown and they arrested 85 people for breaking quarantine guidelines.
Those arrested were held in four barangay covered courts used as temporary detention facilities and face complaints of non-cooperation during a health crisis and disobedience to authority as well as violating city ordinances on curfew hours and the mandatory wearing of face masks when in public.
The Philippines on Wednesday recorded 254 new infections of the new pathogen, bringing the national tally to 8,212.
There are 1,023 who have so far recovered from the coronavirus disease, while 558 died. — Kristine Joy Patag