BUKIDNON Gov. Jose Ma. Zubiri Jr. also asked the national government Wednesday to put the province under general community quarantine ahead of the inter-agency task force’s order to restore areas to their previous status.
Zubiri’s plea came after the inter-agency task force for emerging infectious disease (IATF) issued Resolution 35 that classified Northern Mindanao as a low-risk area due to its number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases.
Under the low-risk status, local governments are ordered to adopt minimum health requirements and to loosen their community quarantine protocols.
This new order prompted the Bukidnon provincial board to pass resolution 2020-1317 appealing to President Rodrigo Duterte and the IATF “to retain and extend under the [GCQ] status and be authorized to observe and maintain the GCQ protocols in its quarantine control points in the boundaries of the province of Bukidnon.”
He said lifting the GCQ would put the people of the province in danger of the coronavirus contagion since some areas it shared a boundary with like the cities of Davao and Cagayan de Oro have Covid-19 cases.
To date, Bukidnon has only one confirmed Covid-19 case, a barangay leader from Valencia City who attended a cockfighting derby in Matina, Davao City.
“Whereas, this August Body respectfully observes based on facts that said declaration is still premature to let our guards down considering that our neighboring [high urbanized cities] such as Cagayan de Oro City and Davao City respectively have an increasing number of [Covid-19] cases, let alone the entry from the rest of its provincial borders to wit; Cotabato Provinces from the South, Lanao Provinces in the east, and Davao provinces in the west which are still under GCQ.”
Zubiri said “we followed every order that you gave us to the police and we are proud to say that we are successful, please listen to the people of Bukidnon,” referring to Duterte.
He said the President must consider his plea as Bukidnon is considered as the heart of Mindanao.
“We border so many provinces, we have taken the challenge and we have proven that it can be done by the people of the province,” the governor said.
He said the provincial government has been preparing for the coronavirus by purchasing the necessary medical equipment for the Bukidnon Provincial Medical Center, considered as the province’s Covid-19 referral hospital.
He said, “what we are asking is a little more time that until there is no more case.”
Later on Wednesday (May 13), Interior Sec. Eduardo Año announced that those areas declared as low-risk would be placed under the modified GCQ.
According to Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, under the GCQ movement, like resumption of work, goes back to normal but “new normal” practices such as wearing of masks, social distancing, and other health protocols will be enforced. (Jigger J. Jerusalem)
