COVID-19 updates (SyCipLaw Bulletin # 6): Philippine President signs Bayanihan To Heal as One Act. Cebu City and Davao City placed under Community Quarantine.

April 30, 2020

The following updates were covered by SyCipLaw’s bulletin to its clients:

A. On March 24, 2020, the President signed the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act (the Bayanihan Act). The Bayanihan Act declares “a state of national emergency over the entire country” and to address this, Section 4 of the act authorizes the President to adopt “temporary emergency measures to respond to crisis brought about by the pandemic,”. The law will be effective immediately upon its publication in a newspaper of general circulation or in the Official Gazette, but its effective period is limited to three (3) months, unless extended by Congress.

B. Given the growing number of positive cases in the area, on March 26, 2020 the Mayor of Cebu issued Executive Order No. 64, series of 2020, which places the City of Cebu under a State of Enhanced Community Quarantine (Cebu City ECQ) effective 12:00 noon of March 28, 2020 until 12:00 noon of April 28, 2020. This issuance follows Executive Order No. 52, series of 2020 which placed the City of Cebu under a State of General Community Quarantine on March 16, 2020.

During the Cebu City ECQ, a mandatory stay at home order is imposed on all persons in Cebu City, except to procure necessities or access health services. There are also restrictions on transportation and travelling.

C. Similarly, the mayor of Davao City issued Executive Order No. 20, series of 2020 providing guidelines in the implementation of community quarantine in the City of Davao, beginning 5:00 AM, March 26, 2020 until 11:59 PM of April 19, 2020. During the quarantine period, people are required to stay at home and can go out only to buy food or to access medicine or medical treatment. Entry into Davao Region is not allowed except for vehicles with cargo and one driver and for sea vessels unloading cargo, but no person is allowed to disembark

The full text of the bulletin can be found at (https://mailchi.mp/6f26be152f54/bayanihan-to-heal-as-one-act-cebu-city-davao-city-under-community-quarantine)

The bulletin was prepared by SyCipLaw partners Jan Celine C. Abaño-Ranada, Hiyasmin H. Lapitan, Alan C. Fontanosa, and Amer Hussein N. Mambuay, with the assistance of legal associate, Leo Francis. F. Abot.

Please go to syciplawresources.com to see our latest COVID-19 related bulletins and briefings, and for a list of Philippine government issuances covered by our bulletins and briefings.