FM PASS STILL NEEDED UNDER EXTENDED GCQ
DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said the city government will continue to implement the food and medicine (FM) pass, even if the city will be on an extended general community quarantine (GCQ).
This despite the recent pronouncement of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año in an interview with CNN Philippines that residents of areas under general community quarantine would not need to bring quarantine passes anymore when they go out of their homes.
“Diri sa atoa, naa gihapon siya (FM Pass) because dili absolute ang giingon sa security sector nga tanggalon ang FM Pass. Kinahanglan siya’g bag-ong guidelines (Here in Davao City, FM pass is still required because the security sector’s pronouncement in lifting the use of passes is still not absolute),” the mayor said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio on Friday, May 29, 2020.
Duterte-Carpio, however, said the city government has yet to review the existing guidelines on the use of the FM pass and would possibly come up with new rules to avoid confusion on the implementation of control measures on the ground.
“Kinahanglan siya buhatan og guidelines before siya i-withdraw or i-continue with modification para dili magkagubot ang implementation sa ground (We need craft new guidelines before withdrawing it or to continue it with modification so it would not create confusion once it is implemented),” the mayor said.
Duterte-Carpio said she had previously discussed the lifting of the FM pass system when the city shifts to GCQ but the security sector did not approve it.
“Initially, when the FM pass was discussed in relation to GCQ, wala mosugot ang atoang security sector nga tanggalon ang FM pass (Initially when we discussed the FM pass win relation to GCQ, the security sector did not agree in stopping it),” she said.
Under the FM pass system, residents are only allowed to go out of their homes when they need to buy food and medicine. It is also regulated by the Davao City Police Office by only allowing FM pass holders with numbers ending in 1,3,5,7,9 to go out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, while holders of FM pass ending either in 2,4,6,8,0, are allowed to go out every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. FM passes are not to be used on Sundays.
Malls, markets, and other establishments in the city are also strictly requiring FM passes.
We need to follow what is mandated under the law. We will not impede the movement of people coming in and out of our province. However, we also have to set up screening protocols in order to protect our people. NELSON DAYANGHIRANG Davao Oriental Governor