Manila imposes 48-hour lockdown on Tondo District 1 for mass testing

Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso ordered a 48-hour hard lockdown for Tondo District 1 from May 3 to May 5 to conduct mass testing and disease surveillance.

The lockdown covers 136 barangays with approximately half a million residents and is intended to facilitate mass testing for suspected COVID-19 cases.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Tondo District 1 had 83 confirmed COVID-19 cases, making it the second district in the city with the highest number of cases.

The primary consideration for the lockdown was to complete mass testing in Manila, not solely due to quarantine violators.

Mayor Domagoso assured that assistance, including food packs for around 140,166 families, would be provided to Tondo District 1 residents before the lockdown.

Elements of the Manila Police District and barangay officials will enforce the lockdown, with holding areas prepared for violators.

The Executive Order No. 22 signed on April 30 also specified that Divisoria merchants within barangays 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 are allowed to leave their homes.

Non-residents can pass through the area and perform essential services such as food delivery, electric maintenance and repair, telecommunications maintenance, water and sanitation works, and transport of facilities.