EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 27
Series of 2021
AN ORDER PLACING THE ENTIRE PROVINCE OF DAVAO DEL NORTE UNDER MODIFIED ENHANCED COMMUNITY QUARANTINE (MECQ) EFFECTIVE 01 JULY 2021
AND PROVIDING POLICIES AND GUIDELINES THEREFOR
WHEREAS, the Philippines is the second country in Southeast Asia next to Indonesia with the highest accumulated number of confirmed Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) cases reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) recently;
WHEREAS, since its characterization as pandemic by WHO, COVID-19 has been causing a serious health problem to the public, affecting the normal lives of the Filipino people and even disrupting economic growth and activities;
WHEREAS, on 08 March 2020, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte issued Proclamation No. 922, placing the entire country under a State of Public Health Emergency;
WHEREAS, on 16 September 2020, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte issued Proclamation No. 1021, s. 2020, extending the period of the State of Calamity throughout the Philippines until 21 September 2021;
WHEREAS, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has implemented community quarantine restrictions of varying levels nationwide to counter the further spread of the virus in other areas of the country;
WHEREAS, on 09 June 2021, the Provincial Government issued Executive Order No. 26, series of 2021 to place the entire Province under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) until 30 June 2021; thereby, revoking Executive Order No. 24, series of 2021 which previously placed the Province under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) until 30 June 2021;
WHEREAS, due to the recent development that shows a compelling and alarming increase in the number of local cases of COVID-19 in the Province as a result of community transmission despite the present quarantine classification of the Province, there is an immediate need to enforce more proactive and decisive measures to control the exponential spread of the virus in the Province;
WHEREAS, Section 16 of the Local Government Code states that every Local Government Unit shall exercise the powers expressly granted, those necessarily implied therefrom, as well as powers necessary, appropriate or incidental for its efficient and effective governance, and those which are essential to the promotion of the general welfare;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, EDWIN I. JUBAHIB, Governor of the Province of Davao del Norte, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order the following:
Section 1. Declaration. The Province of Davao del Norte is hereby placed under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) effective 01 July 2021;
Section 2. Policies and Guidelines. The following policies and guidelines are hereby ordered pursuant to Section 3 of the latest IATF Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines.
2.1. Wearing of face shield and face mask is required in all public places. Other minimum public health standards, such as but not limited to wearing of personal protective
equipment, temperature checking, sanitizing, observing social distancing and not talking face-to-face without wearing a full-coverage face mask and face shield shall be complied with at all times. All government and private offices/establishments shall strictly implement a “No Face Mask and Face Shield, No Transaction” Policy.
2.2. Checkpoints in all entry points of Davao del Norte Province shall remain operational.
2.3. The movement of all persons shall be limited to accessing essential goods and services from permitted establishments, for work in such establishments, or for such other activities allowed herein.
2.4. Travel or gatherings outside of the Province that are non-essential and for leisure purposes shall be prohibited.
2.5. Any person 17 years old and below, those who are 66 years old and above, those with immunodeficiency, comorbidities, or other health risks, and pregnant women shall be required to remain in their residences at all times, except for obtaining essential goods and services, or for work in industries and offices or such other activities permitted in this Section. Local Government Units may relax the minimum age range down to 15 years old, depending on the COVID-19 situation in their respective jurisdiction.
2.6. All forms of gatherings outside of residences shall be PROHIBITED, except when they are permitted by the City/Municipal IATF through the Barangay Captain concerned where the gathering shall be held. If permitted, such gathering is allowed up to 10% only of the seating or venue capacity. Provided, that participants shall strictly observe the minimum public health standards, and the establishments or venues where the gathering will take place shall strictly comply with the ventilation standards as provided for under relevant issuances of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). It shall be the responsibility of the barangay to closely monitor the compliance of the gathering while being conducted.
2.7. Gatherings at residences with any person outside of one’s immediate household shall be prohibited;
2.8. Gatherings that are essential in nature such as for the provision of housing and settlement, public utilities, health and social services, and other government services or humanitarian activities shall be allowed, provided that all minimum public health protocols and standards must be observed strictly.
2.9. Religious gatherings shall be allowed up to 10% of the venue capacity. Provided, that there is no objection from the Local Government Unit where the religious gathering may take place. The religious denomination should strictly observe their submitted protocols and the minimum public health standards. Nonetheless, they are highly encouraged to make use of virtual platforms in the conduct of their religious gathering;
2.10. Religious services for private faith-based celebrations like wedding, baptism, blessing, anniversary, etc. shall be suspended, except when they are permitted by the Local Government Unit where the religious service may take place. When permitted, Items 2.6 and 2.7 of this Section shall apply.
2.11. Gatherings for necrological services, wakes, inurnment, and funerals for those who died of causes other than COVID-19 shall be limited to 30% of the venue capacity
2.12. Individual outdoor exercises such as outdoor walks, jogging, running or biking shall not be allowed. Such activities may be done inside or within the premises of one’s residence;
2.13. Face-to-face or in-person classes shall be suspended. The education sector shall operate in accordance with the guidelines of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for technical vocational education and training, Department of Education (DepEd) for basic education.
2.14. Private and public transportation shall be allowed at such capacity and protocols as provided for by the Department of Transportation and the Local Government Unit.
2.15. Agencies and instrumentalities of the government shall be fully operational, with a skeleton workforce on-site and the remainder under alternative work arrangements as approved by the head of agency, unless a greater on-site capacity is required in agencies providing health and emergency frontline services, laboratory and testing services, border control, or other critical services, in accordance with the relevant rules and regulations issued by the Civil Service Commission (CSC).
2.16. All construction projects shall be allowed subject to strict compliance with the construction safety guidelines issued by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
2.17. Officials and employees of foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), whenever performing diplomatic functions and subject to the guidelines issued by DFA, may operate with an on-site skeleton workforce.
2.18. Only hotels or accommodation establishments with valid Department of Tourism (DOT) accreditation shall be allowed to accommodate guests and clients for legitimate purposes under a state of public health emergency. The operations of such hotels and accommodation establishments, as well as ancillary establishments within their premises such as restaurants, cafes, gyms, spas, function halls, and the like, shall be subject to guidelines issued by the DOT and IATF.
2.19. Inns, motels, apartelles and other similar establishments with no valid accreditation from the Department of Tourism shall not be allowed to operate.
2.20. All establishments may be allowed to operate at 50% on-site capacity only, while encouraging work-from-home and other flexible work arrangements, where applicable. However, the following establishments, persons, or activities SHALL NOT BE PERMITTED to operate, work, or be undertaken during MECQ:
a) Entertainment venues with live performers such as karaoke bars, clubs, bars, concert halls, and theaters;
b) Recreational venues such as internet cafes, billiard halls, amusement arcades, bowling alleys, and similar venues;
c) Amusement parks or theme parks, fairs/peryas, kid amusement industries such as playgrounds, playroom, and kiddie rides;
d) Outdoor sports courts or venues for contact sports, scrimmages, games, or activities;
e) Indoor sports courts or venues, fitness studios, gyms, spas or other indoor leisure centers or facilities, and swimming pools;
f) Casinos, horse racing, cockfighting including e-sabong and operation of cockpits, lottery and betting shops, and other gaming establishments;
g) Indoor visitor or tourist attractions, libraries, archives, museums, galleries, and cultural shows and exhibits;
h) Outdoor tourist attractions;
I) Venues for meetings, incentives, conferences; events places and exhibitions;
j) Personal care services which include beauty salons, beauty parlors, barbershops, medical aesthetic clinics, cosmetic or derma clinics, make-up salons, nails spas, reflexology, aesthetics, wellness, and holistic centers, and other similar establishments; acupuncture and electrocautery establishments, and massage therapy including sports therapy establishments. It also includes establishments providing tanning services, body piercings, tattooing, and similar services. Home service for these activities is likewise not permitted;
k) Public beaches and inland resorts;
l) Dine-in and buffet restaurants/cafeterias;
2.21. All permitted establishments must ensure that physical distancing is observed when accepting clients, such as controlling/limiting the influx of clients going inside the premises at any given time.
2.22. Food take-out, in-house delivery or food delivery services shall be allowed to operate.
2.23. Eating in public places, such as plazas, parks, and similar places shall be prohibited. The food can be consumed inside personal or issued vehicles, or brought at home.
2.24. Sari-sari stores shall be allowed to operate on the following conditions: store owners must not allow people to stay and loiter and must be closed during the curfew hours; vendors and customers shall wear face masks; and that the social distancing policy is strictly followed.
2.25. The Local Government Unit (LGU) shall ensure the efficient supervision of crowd management in their public wet markets/palengkes, emphasizing on the strict implementation of minimum health protocols. Where applicable, the LGU may impose market schedules among their barangays to control the influx of market goers;
2.26. The Quick Response (QR) Code scanning must be intensified in all cities and municipalities of the province. The use and implementation of the QR Code shall be governed by the policies and guidelines provided under Section 3 of Executive Order No. 53, series of 2020.
2.27. Without prejudice to the implementation of DavNor QR Code, law enforcement agencies shall recognize any of the following IDs:
a) IATF IDs issued by the regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over permitted establishments or persons;
b) Valid IDs or other pertinent documents issued by accrediting organizations or establishments allowed under present quarantine classification of the Province; and;
c) If required by the LGU, local IDs for availing of essential goods and services.
No other IDs or passes specifically exempting persons from community quarantine shall be required of workers of permitted establishments and/or offices without prejudice to requiring the presentation of other documents establishing the nature of their work.
1.1. The movement of cargo/delivery vehicles as well as vehicles used by public utility companies shall be unhampered. Shuttle services of permitted establishments shall not be subject to an ID System but shall maintain compliance with the minimum public health standards.
1.2. Wakes for the dead shall be allowed for a maximum of five (5) days only and shall be exclusive for immediate family only.
1.3. Curfew hours from 9:00PM to 4:00AM shall be implemented in the Province. However, Local Government Units has the discretion to ease up or tighten restriction, whichever is applicable to their own locality. Exempted from the curfew hours are members of the COVID-19 Crisis Management and Response Team, emergency vehicles, health workers, and those who are required to work within the curfew period.
1.4. Purchase of liquors/alcoholic drinks is allowed from 9:00AM to 5:00PM. However, Local Government Units may impose their own restrictions on the purchase of liquors/alcoholic drinks. Provided, that minors are strictly not allowed to buy such products and that consumption of these is strictly prohibited in public places, such as restaurants, cafeterias, bars, and the like.
1.5. All other guidelines for interzonal and intrazonal movement shall be referred to Section (7) of the IATF Omnibus Guidelines.
Section 3. Penalty Clause. Any violation of the foregoing provisions shall constitute non-cooperation of the person or entities and is punishable under our existing laws, ordinances, rules and regulations.
Section 4. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately on 01 July 2021 and shall remain in full force unless sooner lifted or revoked.
ISSUED this 30th day of June 2021 in Tagum City, Davao del Norte Province, Philippines.
EDWIN I. JUBAHIB
Governor
