PGLU RESTRICTS MOVEMENT AMID LUZON-WIDE ENHANCED COMMUNITY QUARANTINE

By: Justin Paul D. Marbella, PIO-MPIU

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The Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) began restricting movements of motorists and travellers in and out of the province, as a measure against the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

This comes after President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire Luzon under enhanced community quarantine beginning March 17.

Gov. Francisco Emmanuel “Pacoy” R. Ortega III ordered the Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force to strengthen interventions to prevent the entry and spread of the disease in the province.

Checkpoints in LU borders activated

Starting March 17, stricter operations are in place in various checkpoints in the borders of the province, namely in Rosario, Pugo, Tubao, Santo Tomas, Burgos, and Sudipen.

The Provincial Health Office (PHO), Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), Philippine National Police, Philippine Army, and the respective Municipal Local Government Units (LGUs) man the checkpoints, as they conduct temperature check and interview.

Travellers that show symptoms of the disease are immediately put on hold. They are then referred to designated health facility, such as the Bacnotan District Hospital in the first district; and the La Union Medical Center in Agoo for the second district. Those who refuse the referral are ordered to return to their place of origin.

Meanwhile, travellers with normal health conditions are allowed entry or exit, upon assessment in the checkpoints. Checkpoint personnel record the travellers’ assessment results in individual health declaration cards.

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) with scheduled flights in Clark International Airport can also pass through the checkpoints. Only one companion per OFW is allowed.

No Special Lane in the Checkpoints

Travellers, however, are warned that with the stringent measures in the checkpoints, bottlenecks are to be expected.

“We intentionally placed just one entry and one exit checkpoints in all the six road boundaries,” PDRRMO III Alvin Cruz said. “This is a way to discourage unessential travels, and for people to realize that our measures are strict as we are facing this pandemic.”

There are also no special lanes in the checkpoint, Cruz emphasized. Hence, all travellers must deal with the gridlocks should they insist to cross the borders.

The checkpoints face influx of travellers, as the province is a known gateway to Baguio and other northern Luzon provinces.

PUVs prohibited

The public is also reminded that operations of Public Utility Vehicles such as buses, jeeps, and tricycles, are suspended. Hence, only private cars and authorized government vehicles are allowed in the province’s thoroughfares.

Component LGUs have stationed key personnel in strategic locations to intercept violating PUV drivers.

Movement of private vehicles is also regulated. Only one passenger is allowed per vehicle, and they are interviewed about their purpose of travel. This could only be for essential reasons such as accessing basic necessities or emergency purposes.

PGLU Provides Shuttle Services to Health Workers

The PGLU provides free shuttle services to health workers in the province, whose service are crucial in the height of the pandemic.

Three PGLU vehicles are now deployed to ply the three service routes: Sudipen to San Fernando City (SFC) and back; Burgos to SFC and back; and, Rosario to SFC and back.

The shuttles depart SFC at 6am, 2pm, and 10am. Meanwhile, they depart from SFC at 7:00-7:30am, 3:00 – 3:30pm, and 11:00 – 11:30pm.

Pickup and drop-off points in SFC are at the La Union Pasalubong Agri-Tourism Center, near the City Playground, and the town plazas for Sudipen, Burgos and Rosario.

Health workers need to present their hospital IDs, disinfect their hands using alcohol, and undergo temperature check before boarding the shuttles. Social distancing is enforced inside the vehicle.

This PGLU initiative serves to augment the shuttle services provided by the private and government hospitals to their workforce. Some component LGUs also provide shuttle service to their health worker-constituents.