The city government has ordered the suspension of classes in all levels of public and private schools in the city for 10 days as a precaution against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
Government activities such as licensure examinations and barangay assemblies, as well as a number of private sector-led events and gatherings planned to be held in the city are either suspended or cancelled.
In Executive Order 60, s. 2020 issued March 12, Mayor Benjamin Magalong suspended classes from March 13 to 22 subject to further guidelines and directives that may be released by the national government, Department of Health, or upon assessment of the city’s Covid-19 Inter-agency Task Force.
School officials and administrators have been instructed to regularly sanitize classrooms and facilities.
The order was issued after discussion with officials from Department of Education and Commission on Higher Education that there is a need to suspend classes in all levels of public and private schools in the city to safeguard students and to allow the institutions to disinfect their respective campuses.
Benguet Gov. Melchor Diclas has also ordered on March 13 class suspensions in all levels in the province from March 13 to 22.
In Abra, Gov. Maria Jocelyn Bernos issued Executive Order MR-05, s. 2020 ordering a transportation curfew in the province effective March 12. All inbound private and public transport may only enter the province from 4 a.m. to midnight, while clearance may be given in emergency cases.
All individuals in the provinces, including visitors, are directed to execute a health declaration form to be submitted at each entry point. Thermal scanning and other diagnostic procedures are now also conducted in entry points in Abra.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government-Cordillera as per advisory from Sec. Eduardo Año, has also directed offices and agencies in the region to postpone and reschedule all crowd-drawing activities, including barangay assemblies which were set on any Saturday or Sunday this month; the regional launch of the Disiplina Muna national advocacy campaign on March 18; and on-the-spot poster making contest on peace building on March 23.
DILG-CAR Director Marlo Iringan said the move is a proactive measure as he also reminded local government units to reinforce and mobilize their barangay health emergency response teams, which should ensure that all residents are accounted for by monitoring the community through home visitation of arriving passengers from coronavirus-infected countries within their respective localities.
The Professional Regulation Commission announced that the following licensure exams nationwide scheduled for March and April 2020 have been cancelled: Qualifying Assessment for Foreign Medical Professionals (March 14); Physician Licensure Examination (March 15-16); Medical Technologists Licensure Examination (March 18 and 19; Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (March 29); Licensure Examination for Electronic Engineers and Electronic Technicians (April 1 to 3); Licensure Examination for Midwives (April 5 and 6); and Licensure Examination for Registered Electrical Engineers and Registered Master Electricians (April 14 to 16).
PRC OIC Juanita Domoguen said new schedules of the affected licensure examinations will be posted at www.prc.gov.ph or www.prcbaguio.blogspot.com.
The Department of Labor and Employment-Cordillera, including all its field offices and attached agencies is also implementing a four-day workweek, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Thursday. – Hanna C. Lacsamana
April 26, 2024
