The Puerto Princesa City Local Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) will seek a stricter community quarantine classification from the National IATF after its meeting yesterday, September 26, 2021, due to the continuous rise of COVID-19 cases in the city.
PPC IATF Spokesperson Norman Yap said they are endorsing a General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restriction or GCQ Alert Level 4 which will be subject to National IATF approval.
“Bale ang gagawin po ng city ay hihingiin natin sa National IATF ang approval na i-escalate po ang ating risk status dahil po umaakyat ang ating cases ng COVID-19 dito sa lungsod,” Yap says.
The quarantine classification with Alert Level System is currently being piloted in the NCR until September 30, 2021, and if successful will be implemented nationwide. Thus, the city government is requesting two different options to the national IATF to ensure that the implementation of stricter measures will start in October.
With GCQ heightened restrictions, social events, meetings and conventions as well as indoor sports are not allowed. Religious gatherings, barbershops and beauty salons, and outdoor tourist attractions will only be allowed at 30% capacity. In addition, Indoor dine-in will only be at 20% while al fresco will be at 50% capacity. Government offices will be fully operational but only 30% workforce onsite.
Establishments with Safety Seal Certification will be allowed an additional 10%.
On the other hand, GCQ with Alert Level 4 will not allow social events, face-to-face classes including all examinations, hotel staycation, indoor tourist attractions, and indoor sports. Religious gatherings will only be allowed at 10% indoor with the condition of having all ministers and participants are fully vaccinated and 30% outdoor. Indoor dine-in will be at 10% with fully vaccinated staff and consumers, while outdoor dine-in at 30% capacity only regardless of their vaccination status. Government offices will be fully operational with only 20% employees onsite.
Yap also reminds the public that there is still a liquor ban, and the curfew to be implemented starting on September 27, 2021, will be from 9:00PM until 5:00AM.
As of September 26, 2021, the CESU PPC has recorded 779 COVID-19 active cases, where 153 are RT-PCR confirmed and 626 are Rapid Antigen Reactive. There is a total of 3,135 cases logged of which 2,808 are recoveries while 174 are deaths.