NO ENTRY. Starting Sept. 19 until 23, the country’s known surfing capital, the municipality of General Luna in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte will impose a five-day movement restriction especially during the celebration of the town’s fiesta. This is to protect its residents from contracting Covid-19. (PNA photo by Alexander Lopez)
BUTUAN CITY – To ensure the safety of residents from the risks of being infected with coronavirus disease (Covid-19), General Luna town in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte will implement a five-day movement restriction starting Sept. 19 (Saturday) to 23 in time with the town’s 361st fiesta celebration.
Executive Order No. -12-2020 issued by Mayor Cecilia Rusillon on Sept. 14 prescribed the policies and guidelines for the five-day movement restriction.
“There is a need to be vigilant as Covid-19 cases are increasing in Caraga Region,” Rusillon said, pointing out that contact tracing and other health protocols are also imposed on the island and Surigao del Norte to contain the spread of the virus.
The contact tracing, she said, was in response to the situation when an individual from Luzon, whose positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) result was only discovered two days after his entry in General Luna last Sept. 5.
Under the order, non-residents, visitors, and local tourists will not be allowed to enter the town from Sept. 19 to 23.
The municipality will grant special travel pass to workers from the Department of Education (DepEd) and other workers from other agencies of the government or private establishments with essential work within General Luna.
Residents, during the week-long fiesta celebration, are allowed to prepare food for immediate family and relatives only but gatherings such as discos and other forms of similar activities are strictly prohibited during the period.
The order also said repatriation of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) to the town will continue with the standing health protocols imposed while the localized “No Sail Policy” for inbound non-residents of General Luna will continue to be in effect during the period.
During the celebration, the Incident Command Center (ICC) in the municipality will continue to be on alert while checkpoints will be established in barangays Consuelo, Malinao, and Sta. Cruz for 24 hours a day during the period to ensure the implementation of the order.
Rusillon said checkpoints will require individuals to present documents such as valid identification cards, special travel pass issued by the local government, work pass, and travel order from the company of the classified Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APOR) with a negative RT-PCR test result.
“We wish to celebrate the fiesta as traditionally practiced years before. However, with the current health crisis, the health and safety of everyone is our utmost priority. We are anticipating for your understanding and cooperation on this matter,” Rusillon said.
General Luna is known as the “Surfing Capital” of the country as the yearly international surfing competition is held in its famous “Cloud 9” surfing spot.
The yearly surfing competition for this year is indefinitely canceled due to the threat of the pandemic. (PNA)
