HQ pass still required in Benguet

BENGUET mayors reiterated the home quarantine pass are still required for accessing essential goods and services even as the province shifted back to general community quarantine.

Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan, who is also the president of the League of Municipalities – Benguet said quarantine checkpoints are still enforced and constituents are still asked to strictly observe wearing of face masks, physical distancing and 24-hour municipal wide curfew.

The Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases placed Benguet province under

General Community Quarantine on July 1.

La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda said residents must still comply with the minimum public health standards while the movement of all persons are limited to accessing essential goods and services and for work in the offices or industries permitted to operate.

"The town will make necessary adjustments prior to the reimplementation of the GCQ in the municipality," Salda said.

Persons below 21 and above 60 – years – old, those with immunodeficiency, comorbidity, or other health risks, and pregnant women are required to stay at home.

A liquor ban is still in effect while public transportation still allowed to operate at a

reduced operational and vehicle capacity in accordance with the guidelines issued by Department of Transportation.

Some 90 public utility jeepneys in La Trinidad are now allowed to ply routes as approved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

The towns of Kibungan and Kapangan also requested an area in Kilometer 4, La Trinidad

to serve as staging area for PUVs.

Kapangan Mayor Manny Fermin on Wednesday asked people of the town to follow health protocols to avoid more confirmed Covid-19 cases.

President Rodrigo Duterte in his address to the nation announced new quarantine rules for areas in the Cordillera region, declared under modified GCQ are Abra, Baguio City, Ifugao, Kalinga.