CAVITE, Philippines – Kawit Mayor Angelo Aguinaldo on Wednesday, April 15 placed the town under extreme enhanced community quarantine as a measure to prevent the spread of the deadly pathogen after its first case of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was reported last week.
“Atin na pong ipinapatupad ang Extreme Enhanced Community Quarantine sa buong Kawit na magpapaigting pa ng mga nauna nating mga hakbang laban sa COVID-19. Ito po ay para masigurong hindi na kumalat pa ang virus sa ating bayan kasunod ng unang naitalang kaso noong nakaraang linggo,” Aguinaldo said in a Facebook post.
(We are implementing the Extreme Enhanced Community Quarantine in the entire Kawit to reinforce our initial steps against COVID-19. This is to ensure that the virus does not spread in our municipality following the first case recorded last week.)
Kawit is a first class municipality with a population of 83,466 persons based on the 2015 census.
Aguinaldo signed Executive Order No. 017-2020 on Wednesday afternoon which took effect immediately.
The EO outlines the stricter measures to be followed under an extreme enhanced community quarantine.
These include, among others, directives for:
- A 5am to 5pm operating hours of sari-sari stores, convenience stores, and restaurants for take-out and drive- through, and other establishments allowed to operate under the previous enhanced community quarantine
- Establishments to put up signs telling customers to maintain a one-meter distance from each other
- Wearing face masks in all public places and ordering private and public establishments to refuse entry or service to anyone without a face mask
- Barangays to set up check points in entry and exit roads, which will be under the supervision of the Kawit- Philippine National Police (PNP). No volunteer organizations will be allowed to man the checkpoints
- Barangays to keep a logbook to record all the names and vehicle plate numbers of those who enter and leave the barangays
- All those authorized to leave their homes to keep a logbook of all the places they went to and the people they came in contact with.
Aguinaldo said that with Kawit's first coronavirus case, the municipal government will be more strict in implementing the home quarantine.
He asked the people to remain in their homes, except if there is an emergency or when they run out of foody supply.
“Gagawin po ng ating tanggapan ang lahat para mapigilan ang paglaganap ng COVID-19 sa ating bayan. Ang tanging hinihiling lang namin sa inyo ay ang inyong kooperasyon sa ating mga hakbang. Maraming salamat po," Aguinaldo wrote on Facebook.
(Our office will do everything to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our town. All we ask from you is your cooperation. Thank you very much.)
Kawit’s first COVID-19 patient is a resident of Barangay Toclong who works as a security guard in Makati City. – Rappler.com
