QC to impose 8 p.m.-5 a.m. ‘public safety hours’ starting March 16

The Quezon City government will implement a citywide nine-hour "public safety hours" policy starting Monday, March 16, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the city.

Under Executive Order 20 signed by Mayor Joy Belmonte, the QC government would implement "public safety hours" from 8 p.m. every night to 5 a.m. the following day.

"During the public safety hours, all persons within the territorial jurisdiction of Quezon City are prohibited to roam around, loiter, wander, stay or meander in all public places, whether singly or in groups," Belmonte said in a Facebook post.

Public places include but were not limited to streets, highways, sidewalks, parking lots, and vacant lots.

This order covered common areas in and about churches, apartments, buildings, office buildings, hospitals, schools, malls or shopping centers, commercial establishments, and places of entertainment such as movie theaters and similar places or establishments.

Belmonte noted, however, that employees going to work or returning home from their place of employment were exempted from the public safety hours.

Other exemptions were those heading or arriving from the airport or pier as shown by their tickets; drivers and conductors operating their public utility vehicles (PUVs); and other lawful purposes or "justifiable reasons."

According to Belmonte, violators would be charged for violation of Republic Act 11332, which penalizes non-cooperation of persons or entities affected by a health event of public concern.

They may also face charges for violating Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code or Resistance and Disobedience to a Person in Authority.

"The Executive Order will be effective immediately and remain in effect until such time that the President or other appropriate authority lifts the state of public health emergency," said Belmonte.

"We call on everyone to cooperate for the sake of the safety and health of our residents," she emphasized.

The measure was in line with President Rodrigo Duterte's order to place Metro Manila under a community quarantine from March 15 to April 14.

'Curfew' vs. 'public safety hours'

In an interview on GMA News' Unang Balita on Monday, Belmonte said she refused to use the term "curfew" since the term connotes something negative.

"'Yung salitang 'curfew' may connotation na parang detente ka o terorista ka kaya ka hinuhuli o pinaparusahan 'pag you're out after 8 or a certain time," Belmonte said.

"Public safety hours, it's positive. Kaya ka hinihikayat umuwi ay gusto kang protektahan sa threat sa iyong kaligtasan o kalusugan," she added.

Belmonte said under public safety hours, no one will be penalized since only an executive order was issued.

However, the City Council will convene to pass an ordinance which will include a penal clause, she said. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA News