CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines —Shopping malls, cinemas, and other entertainment centers in Cagayan de Oro City will be closed starting Tuesday, March 17, 2020.
This developed after Mayor Oscar Moreno, Cagayan de Oro City mayor, announced on Monday, March 16, 2020, the closure of these establishments on Tuesday to prevent the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the city.
Moreno also implemented a nighttime curfew over the city for all residents regardless of age.
The curfew hours will be between 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. and will take effect Tuesday night (March 17, 2020).
Moreno signed Executive Order 048 series 2020 on Monday afternoon to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the city.
Read more: Coronavirus patient in Cagayan De Oro dies
Cagayan de Oro had one fatality, Patient No. 40, who died Friday night at the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC).
Read more: Patient No. 40 to be given Muslim burial
Seven Persons under Investigation remained confined at the NMMC, the only hospital capable of treating COVID 19 in Region 10.
Night market, too aside from malls
Moreno urged residents to leave their homes only for work and urgent errands.
“Stay at home. That is the best remedy against COVID 19. Leave your homes only for work and urgent errands,” Moreno said.
Moreno’s anti- COVID 19 measure will affect more than 3,000 employees working in the shopping malls and entertainment centers that are already empty of shoppers and crowds.
He also ordered the closure of Cagayan de Oro’s “Night Market” in Cogon where hundreds of farmers and vendors would gather every night to sell vegetables and other agricultural crops.
Internet and gaming shops were also ordered close until further notice.
Exempted workers
Moreno, however, excluded from the curfew employees working for Business Processing Outsourcing (BPOs), pharmacies, factories, and utilities.
Also included in the curfew exemption are workers of 24/7 convenience stores, stores in or near Carmen or Agora bus terminals, pharmacies and other similar establishments.
The curfew measure also exempts health workers; authorized government officials; those traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons and persons transiting to seaports and bus terminals.
No lockdown
Moreno said he could not lock down Cagayan de Oro because it was the regional center of Northern Mindanao.
“We have people coming here to have their dialysis and medical operations. We have people who come here for banks and government offices,” Moreno said.
“Imagine what would happen if we close down the city,” he said.
Moreno said locking down Cagayan de Oro would be “messy and technically impossible”.
He said the purpose of the measure was to lessen the people coming to Cagayan de Oro.
“We have a population of only 700,000 but that doubles to 1,600,000 people every working day. I hope we can cut that number down,” Moreno said./dbs