By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The city government of Bacolod has reinstituted the use of home quarantine passes (HQPs) and the deployment of control points in the city as part of the preventive measures against the coronavirus disease 2019, or Covid-19.

Based on Executive Order No.58 signed by Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, those aged below 21 years old and those above 60 years old are now prohibited from going out of their homes.

Those with immunodeficiencies, comorbidities, health risks, and pregnant women are also prohibited from going out of their homes.

HQPs will be issued to each household, wherein it can be used by a maximum of three people in the household, but only one person can go out at any given time.

A number coding scheme will also be implemented in the HQPs. Holders ending in odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, and 9) shall be permitted to leave their homes every Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Those with even numbers (2, 4, 6, 8, and 0), meanwhile, can use their HQPs on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

No HQP holders shall be permitted to leave their households on Sundays, in the same manner that no HQPs shall be used on Sundays.

Those exempted from using the HQPs include government officials and employees, medical and non-medical frontline workers, business owners who need to supervise their establishments, self-employed individuals whose occupations require them to render essential services, and those seeking for medical services such as consultations, treatments, and therapies.

Malls and commercial centers are also ordered to require presentation of HQPs upon entry of people appearing to be younger than 21 years old and those 60 years old or older.

The executive order is expected to last until September 15, and the city’s police force and force multipliers will be deployed in order to make sure that the use of HQPs are implemented and regulated./DGB, WDJ