What you should know about Dasmariňas City’s updated MGCQ guidelines
Due to the rise of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, Dasmariňas City Mayor Jennifer “Jenny” Barzaga updated regulations for the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ), effective starting 12:01 AM of March 16, a day after its release.
According to the guidelines posted on Barzaga’s Facebook page, curfew hours will be implemented from 10 PM to 4 AM, where violators will “incur strict penalties” as per the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) guidelines. Commercial establishments such as malls, sari-sari stores, public markets, and restaurants are also required to observe the latest curfew regulations for safety purposes.
“Restaurants and fast food chains that normally operate for 24 hours are still allowed to do so, but operation during curfew hours shall only be limited to take out and delivery service,” the announcement added.
Meanwhile, medical frontliners, media practitioners, members of law enforcement agencies, persons obtaining emergency medical assistance, private employees, and other essential workers traveling from work are exempted from curfew measures.
Age restrictions
Aside from the implementation of curfew, Barzaga also modified measures on the age group allowed to go outside of their homes.
Under the updated guidelines, only 15 to 65 years old individuals are permitted to go out for “essential errands”. This is a modification from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID)’s initial approval of relaxing age restrictions within the age group of 10 to 65 years old in January.
Moreover, minimum health protocols such as physical distancing and wearing of face masks and face shields remain mandatory.
As of March 20, the Department of Health (DOH) has recorded 30,699 cases in Cavite, listing the province as one of the top areas with the most number of cases in the Philippines. The country also reported 7,999 new cases today, March 20, which marked the highest single-day tally since the pandemic began.
