Nonessential shops in Davao City malls ordered closed amid COVID-19 threat

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has ordered the closure of all nonessential shops in malls and other mixed-use buildings starting Thursday until the declaration of state of public health emergency is lifted due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) threat.

Under Executive Order No. 16, Duterte-Carpio said that only the following shops in the abovementioned establishments should remain open: supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, mall in-house department stores, medical laboratories, as well as the offices of doctors and dentists.

Duterte-Carpio earlier announced that Davao Region will be under lockdown for 14 days starting March 19 to prevent COVID-19 transmission.

“Nakiusap ako na baka puwede half lang nung incubation period na 7 days [ang lockdown ng Davao Region]. Basta kaming lahat ng mayors [ng Davao Region] pare-pareho ang ginagawa, dapat isa lang ang ginagawa sa screening, iyong response ng LGUs, hospitals and PUI centers namin,” she said.

“Kung makasunod ang mayors rito, titignan nila kung puwede na 7 days,” Duterte-Carpio added.

Davao Region is composed of Davao City and the provinces of Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental and Davao Oriental.

President Rodrigo Duterte has already put the entire country under state of calamity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Philippines has already 202 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday, of which 17 have died while seven have recovered. --Llanesca T. Panti/KBK, GMA News