Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and Tagum City Mayor Allan Rellon issued a joint statement placing both cities under partial lockdown on all its entry and exit points at 7 o’clock in the evening, March 15, 2020.
Citing President Rodrigo Duterte’s Presidential Proclamation 922 placing the country in a State of Public Health Emergency in relation to National Security, “limited testing kits and results take too long to become available” and a need to be more “aggressive and proactive on the impending spread of Covid19 in Davao Region”, the two local chief executives closed all entry and exit points of the cities.
Immediately after the issuance of the joint statement, Duterte-Carpio issued an executive orders (EO) implementing the partial lockdown.
“All vehicles coming from Tagum that will pass through Davao City when en route to their final destination will be escorted in groups to the border checkpoint where they will exit,” Duterte-Carpio’s EO read. This set up will only be allowed within 24 hours from the effectivity of the order. A valid ID will be asked from motorists for verification.
Road blocks will be set up in all entry and exit points.
Delivery vehicles carrying food, medicine and other supply chain goods will be allowed entry and exit into the cities. Drivers and passengers of these vehicles will be subjected to temperature checks. (Rommel F. Lopez)