Mayor Reyes orders closure of Guihulngan City borders

Guihulngan City map

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental-Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental will already be closing its borders starting at 5 p.m. today, March 30, 2020.

His order for a “lockdown” is contained in Executive Order No. 9-A series of 2020, which Mayor Carlo Jorge Joan Reyes signed on Sunday to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Guihulngan City is the first local government unit in the province to declare a lockdown.

This means that vehicles and individuals coming from outside the city will no longer be allowed access unless they are among those exempted by the EO.

Exceptions will cover government vehicles carrying goods and those that will transport patients to the Gov. William “Billy” Villegas Memorial Hospital.

Vehicle drivers will be required to present an Authority to Travel issued by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and valid Identification Cards for him and his helper.  The Authority to Travel will have to specify the vehicle’s point of origin and destination.

Private and public vehicles coming from the neighboring Canlaon City and Vallehermoso town that does not qualify under the exemption shall be denied access to the national highway in Guihulngan City.

Reyes’ EO also exempts government personnel who are out to perform government-related functions, health workers, PNP personnel, and emergency responders.

Section 3 of the EO requires the mandatory disinfection of persons and vehicles that enter the city with the use of thermal scanning and foot bath.

All patients under investigation (PUI’s) and persons under monitoring (PUM’s) will also be required to undergo the mandatory 14-day quarantine. / dcb