Malls in Cavite province temporarily closed for failure to implement physical distancing
Published May 18, 2020 7:14:02 AM
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 18) — Operations of malls in the province of Cavite will be temporarily suspended starting Monday, Governor Jonvic Remulla said.
The local official said all malls in the province, including supermarkets and drugstores located inside, will be temporarily closed after residents were found to violate social distancing measures.
He added several residents from Cavite — which is under general community quarantine — were found to present their work IDs even if they weren’t on duty so they could walk around the malls. He said some were also found to order takeout from restaurants, only to eat them inside mall premises.
The governor reminded mall operators it is their responsibility to enforce proper physical distancing and apprehend shoppers who are strolling around the malls.
“Pasensya na kayo, inabuso ang sistema at kailangan higpitan… MAGBUBUKAS RIN naman pag napakita ang plano ng operators ukol sa social distancing,” he wrote on his official Facebook page.
[Translation: I’m sorry, but the system has been abused. Malls will reopen once operators present a plan on how they will enforce social distancing.]
On Sunday, Remulla signed an executive order implementing the temporary closure of malls in the province. Cavite shifted from a strict enhanced community quarantine to a relaxed general community quarantine on May 16.
He said days after lockdown rules were loosened, the province had already logged 40 new cases of COVID-19. He reminded his constituents that quarantine restrictions should still be observed.
“Akala ninyo ang GCQ ay FREEDOM PASS. Akala ninyo na ang pag bawas ng checkpoint ay pwede na ipagbaliwala ang mga pass para maka labas ng bahay. Akala ninyo na ang work ID ay lakwatsya pass. Tandaan, Ang Q sa GCQ ay ‘Quarantine.’ Hinde pa po tapos ang sakuna,” he said.
[Translation: You think GCQ means you are free to do anything. You think you are allowed to go anywhere you please. You think your work ID allows you to roam freely. The Q in GCQ means quarantine. The COVID-19 crisis isn’t over.]
