By Nora
C. Lanuza
BUTUAN
CITY, March 18 (PIA) – Agusan del Norte Governor Dale Corvera has placed
the entire province under community quarantine starting at 12 midnight,
Wednesday until further notice due to the threat of coronavirus disease
(COVID-19).
In his
Executive Order 18 signed March 17, Governor Corvera enjoined the Agusanons to
stay and/or confine at home and shall only be allowed to go out from their
houses in accessing basic and essential needs such as but not limited to work,
food provisions, water and medicines but it should be within the territorial
jurisdiction of the province.
“To prevent
the spread of the virus, there is a need to implement community quarantine and
to impose tougher measures in accordance with the directive of the Department
of Health (DOH) and other national line agencies,” said Agusan del Norte
governor Dale B. Corvera.
However,
Corvera clarified that in the case a person needs medical attention and in
times of emergency, they are allowed to cross borders but with proper
coordination and referral to the receiving province or city.
Strict
observance on social distancing is also mandated in public places and inside
offices, groceries, banks and other places where other people may also be
present. In public transport, a one-meter social distancing is also strictly
implemented, and in the case of a motorcycle, only the driver is allowed and no
more back riders.
In
cases where Agusanons coming from other provinces or cities decide to return to
their respective abode within the effectivity of this order, they may be
allowed entry provided they can show proof of residence and must be reported to
the DOH and will be endorsed to their respective barangay health emergency
response teams and commit themselves to undergo mandatory self-quarantine in
they come from a place confirmed with local transmission.
Non-residents
of Agusan del Norte whose workplace is within the jurisdiction of the province
can enter provided that they can present a valid ID, certificate of employment
or any proof of employment. Residents of the province are also not allowed to
exit from the province except for essential travels.
Both
foreign and domestic vessels are also prohibited from entering the territorial
waters of the province except those carrying cargoes of basic commodities and
those foreign vessels carrying ore from mine sites in the province provided
that all quarantine protocols are strictly followed and no crew shall be
allowed to disembark the vessels and no human physical contact is allowed
between the crew and the ground personnel.
A
penalty of not less than P20,000 but not more than P50,000 or an imprisonment
of not less than one month or up to six months will also be imposed to those
persons under monitoring who failed to undergo mandatory self-quarantine of 14
days upon their arrival in the province.
The
community quarantine will be in full force starting 11:59PM of March 18, 2020
and will continue to be in full force and effect until revoked or lifted.
(NCLM/PIA Agusan del Norte)
NPA leader surrenders
in AgNor
By 1Lt.
Miguel O. Borromeo
CABADBARAN
CITY, Agusan del Norte, March 18 -- A New People’s Army (NPA) leader,
after realizing how much he loves and longs for his family, finally decided to
surrender to the 29th Infantry “Matatag” Battalion (29IB), Philippine Army on
March 11, 2020, in Barangay del Pilar, this city.
The
surrenderee was identified as alias Jumong, 42 years old and a resident of
Surigao del Norte. He was a former Platoon Leader of Platoon “KALAW,” Sentro de
Grabedad (SDG) 16, Guerilla Front Committee (GFC) 16 of North Eastern Mindanao
Regional Command (NEMRC).
He
brought with him his M-653 issued rifle, one bandolier with five long magazines
loaded with ammunition and subversive documents with high intelligence value.
The
said surrenderee was formally presented to MGen. Franco Nemesio M. Gacal,
Commander, 4th Infantry (DIAMOND) Division, during the latter's visit at the
29IB headquarters.
According
to alias Jumong, life has not been easy for his family. As a father, all he
wants is to give them a good life, but he did not know how, until the NPA came
and enticed him to join them in exchange for helping his family.
"I
trusted them for more than two years hoping they would keep their promise but I
soon realized nothing they said was true. My family situation just worsened. I
was far from my wife and children, when in fact I was supposed to be by their
side supporting and looking after them but then I failed them," Jumong
said.
"Many
times, they tried to convince me to surrender, but I refused. I realized that I
have failed to be a father to my children and husband to my wife and that I was
not worthy of their love. I thought my life was already useless and of no
purpose at all. But God is good because He enlightened my mind and made me take
the path back to my family," he added.
Alias
Jumong said he was grateful that despite having gone astray from the right
path, his family still accepted him, and the Army still gave him a chance to
live a new life with his family. (CMO Officer, 29IB, Philippine Army/PIA Agusan
del Norte)
Partial lockdown
starts today in Tandag City
By Nida
Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG
CITY, Mar. 18 (PIA) – The city government of Tandag has ordered a partial
lockdown on all entry and exit points that will start tonight (Mar. 18) from
7:00pm up to 5:00am.
Tandag
City Mayor Roxanne Pimentel said the implementation is part of the aggressive
precautionary measure against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in support of
President Duterte’s Proclamation No. 922, placing the entire Philippines under
State of Public Health Emergency.
Based
on the Executive Order No. 08 series of 2020, no one is allowed to enter and
exit the city, both private and public vehicles, within the specific time
mentioned, during the implementation of the partial lockdown, as stipulated
under Section 4.
A daily
curfew will also be imposed from 8:00pm to 5:00am applicable to all
constituents of Tandag City. Minors are not allowed to leave their residences
unless for medical emergencies or for humanitarian reasons.
Mayor
Pimentel clarified that the health workers, authorized government officials,
those working businesses with a work schedule within the curfew hours,
traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons, persons providing basic services
and public utilities, persons delivering food and medicine, and the essential
skeletal workforce of the city government of Tandag are exempted from the
curfew hours.
The
suspension of classes at all levels both private and public schools will also
take effect today, until further notice. Pimentel said the city has still no
confirmed COVID-19 case, as of this time. (PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Cabadbaran activates
COVID-19 local task force checkpoint
By 1Lt.
Miguel O. Borromeo, Jr.
CABADBARAN
CITY, Agusan del Norte, March 18 -- In a bid to prevent the spread of
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the city, the COVID-19 Local Task Force of
Cabadbaran City has set-up a checkpoint along Brgy. Sanghan and Comagascas this
city on March 16, 2020.
The
said task force is composed of the city government of Cabadbaran, 29th Infantry
(MATATAG) Battalion (29IB), Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Bureau of
Fire Protection (BFP). This task force was organized in support of the
President's Proclamation 922 that declares a state of public health emergency
due to the COVID-19 threat in the Philippines.
The
said proclamation aims to capacitate government agencies and LGUs to
immediately act to prevent loss of life, utilize appropriate resources to
implement urgent and critical measures to contain or prevent the spread of
COVID-19, mitigate its effects and impact to the community, and prevent serious
disruption of the functioning of the government and the community.
The
activated Task Force checkpoint of Cabadbaran City has required all passengers
to get off from their vehicles, inform the Task Force of their whereabouts and
have their temperature checked by authorized medical personnel using the
infrared thermometer.
"As
our country continues to face this threat of COVID-19, we pledge to help and
offer what we can, together with other front-liners who are tirelessly doing
their best and continuously working for a better tomorrow for all of us. But we
cannot do it alone, we need your continued prayers and strong cooperation to
win this fight,” Criste added. (CMO Officer, 29IB PA/PIA Agusan del Norte)
