Sun.Star Davao

Brgy. Calinan suspends planned lockdown

- BYRALPH LAWRENCE G. LLEMITA Reporter

BARANGAY officials of Calinan Proper in Davao City will no longer continue implementi­ng a “total lockdown” on Thursday, March 26, after Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio issued a cease and desist order in distributi­ng home quarantine passes.

Barangay Calinan Proper Chairman Ursicio Ungab told SunStar Davao in a phone interview on Wednesday, March 25, that they are abiding with the mayor’s order after noticing inconsiste­ncies in the issuance of the passes.

Ungab said they were supposed to issue the passes per household when the barangay lockdown took place, to discourage Calinan Proper residents from going out of their homes.

“Supposedly duna’y proposal, nga giaprubaha­n sa (barangay) board nga mag lockdown mi diria sa poblacion. Pero naa man gu’y mando si mayor (Sara) nga dili sa mag lockdown basin daghan maapektuha­n (The barangay was supposed to implement the lockdown in Calinan Proper but the mayor told us to suspend such as it might affect everyone),” the barangay official said.

Since the lockdown was announced, he said some residents were already panic buying, which further defeats the mandated one-meter social distancing.

He initially ordered the lockdown after noticing that residents in the area are disregardi­ng the Department of Health (DOH)’s call on social distancing and staying at home to prevent the spreading of the coronaviru­s disease (Covid-19).

He added some “non-essential establishm­ents”, which he did not elaborate, are still operating despite the issued Executive Order 15, which orders recreation, entertainm­ent, and health and wellness

establishm­ents to cease operations.

Ungab said the barangays, as mentioned by the city mayor, are given leeway on how they would enforce the issued city executive orders to their respective constituen­ts.

He said imposing the lockdown was their “last resort” to limit the people from coming in and out in the area.

The passes, he said, would also be required in buying groceries and public markets.

Ungab said they are limiting the people in entering the Calinan Public Market as it is the only public market in the third district.

“Dako ang Calinan. Composed mi og 40 puroks diin diraa sila gapamaleng­ke. Wala pay labot nang sa ubang barangays. Ang Marilog, diria gapamaleng­ke. (Calinan is a huge area. There are 40 puroks who buy at our market as well as other barangays such as Marilog),” the official said, underscori­ng that other neighborin­g barangays also purchase food and other items in their market.

Despite lifting the proposed lockdown, Ungab said they would continue to impose the orders of the city government to ensure that residents would follow the mandatory home quarantine and social distancing.

In case they would continue to defy the order, he said “Kung dili gihapon sila mutuman sa guidelines sa DOH, mapugos gyud ko og dayon sa lockdown aron maprotekta­han akong mga sakop (If they would continue to defy the DOH guidelines, I would be forced to impose the lockdown to protect my constituen­ts).”

Supposedly duna’y proposal, nga giaprubaha­n sa (barangay) board nga mag lockdown mi diria sa poblacion. Pero naa man gu’y mando si mayor (Sara) nga dili sa mag lockdown basin daghan maapektuha­n URSICIO UNGAB Barangay Calinan Proper Chairman

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Philippines