SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – Governor Francisco Emmanuel Ortega III has placed the municipalities of Bangar and Bauang under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from April 12 to 26 to prevent further spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the province.
In Executive Order No. 12 posted on Sunday, Ortega said Bangar and Bauang towns are at critical epidemic risk levels with 70 percent and 62 percent of their barangays having active cases, respectively.
“The local chief executives and the local Philippine National Police (PNP) are hereby directed to ensure compliance with the operational guidelines on the application of the zoning containment strategy in the localization of the National Action Plan against Covid-19 Response and other applicable guidelines during the implementation of MECQ,” he said.
He added the imposition of MECQ shall include enforcement of stringent limitation on movement and transportation of people, establishment of checkpoints, observance of the minimum health protocols, closing of non-essential establishments, strict regulation of operating industries, and imposition of curfews and heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce protocols.
Eight out of 19 towns and one city in the province of La Union are now under MECQ.
San Fernando City, Agoo, Aringay, Naguilian, Luna, and Tubao towns were placed under MECQ last week.
La Union was classified under modified general community quarantine by the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases. However, it recorded a 19.25-percent daily increase rate last week.
As of 11 p.m. on April 11, additional 43 new active cases were recorded in the province. (PNA)
