DILG Sec. Año allows LGUs to impose localized lockdowns

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año reminded local government units (LGUs) that they can impose localized lockdowns, provided these are coordinated with their respective Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).

Localized lockdowns may be imposed on target areas with surges of COVID-19 cases within a span of seven days.

LGUs must organize quick response teams (QRTs) capable of implementing the test-trace-treat strategy for COVID-19, including specialized teams for health promotion, disinfection, swabbing, contact tracing, medical evacuation, law enforcement, BHERTs, and social amelioration.

These QRTs should be stationed at the Municipal/City Level Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

Before implementing a localized lockdown, LGUs need to have readily available data on population, barangay density, existing facilities, case mapping, surveillance, and testing kits.

Provincial governors can declare localized lockdowns in cities and municipalities with 10 or more new clusters of cases, a surge of new sporadic cases within 14 days, or incidence of suspected and probable cases.

City/municipal mayors can implement localized lockdowns in buildings, markets, streets, blocks, subdivisions, puroks, barangays, clusters of barangays, and districts based on specific case criteria.

Such decisions require the concurrence of the regional IATF, meaning mayors must consult with the RIATF before imposing a localized lockdown.