LANAO DEL NORTE, May 10 (PIA) — In its enduring effort to secure the province and protect the safety and health of the residents, Provincial Governor Imelda ‘Angging’ Quibranza-Dimaporo called all Barangay Captains from the coastal municipalities of the province to formally disseminate the guidelines of Executive Order 08, Series of 2020 or “An Executive Order Providing for the Guidelines on the Declaration of a General Community Quarantine (GCQ) in the Entire Province of Lanao del Norte and Other Purposes” issued on May 3, 2020, in agreement to the order of the National Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Governor Dimaporo strongly recognizes the important role of the Barangay Captains to win the fight against the deadly coronavirus disease (COVID-19), thus, she appealed to them to support the effort of the Provincial Government and the National Government to help flatten the curve, beginning in their respective communities.

IMT Incident Commander and the Provincial Information Officer, Lyndon G. Calica, strongly emphasized that Barangay Captains should closely coordinate with the Rural Health Unit and strictly monitor their constituents and identify anyone who is not from the community.

With regards to the residents wanting to return from other provinces or cities, they are advised to coordinate with the Barangay Captain their intention to return. The Barangay Captain should inform the Local Government Unit for guidance and observance of the correct protocol. 

Provincial Director Bruce A. Colao of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, agrees with the statement of Governor Dimaporo and added that Barangay Captains are the first line of defense in the detection aspect against COVID-19, a measure that is necessary to help protect the community and the health workers as frontliners in the on-going battle.

Colao emphasized that Executive Orders issued by the Provincial Chief Executive and the Provincial Ordinances passed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan will prevail over Municipal and Barangay Executive Orders and Ordinances.

Meanwhile, lawyer Mark Christopher Babor, Provincial Legal Officer, thoroughly discussed each provision of EO 08, as well as the Provincial Ordinance No. 03-2020 or the ordinance imposing mandatory wearing of face mask and strict observance of social or physical distancing.

He also presented the process flow of the Balik Lanorte Program of the Provincial Government for residents and students that were stranded in other places and want to return to the province.

Vice Governor Maria Cristina ‘Cristy’ N. Atay, Chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, also explained that municipalities and barangays that have not crafted an ordinance similar with the Provincial Ordinance No. 03-2020, can adapt and implement the said ordinance in their communities, or formulate their own in line with the honest and good intention of the Provincial Legislatures.

Governor Dimaporo thanked the Barangay Captains from the Municipalities of Matungao, Linamon, Kauswagan, Bacolod, Maigo, Kolambugan, Tubod, Baroy, Lala, and Kapatagan for the meeting and reminded them that the only way to win the war against COVID-19 is to implement and follow the guidelines crafted by the National Government, as support to President Duterte’s untiring effort to protect the Filipino people. (PIO-LDN/PIA ICIC)