The local government of Baliwag, Bulacan will implement intensified border control starting Sept. 7 until Sept. 30.
The move according to Mayor Ferdie Estrella aims to make sure that everyone entering the town of Baliwag are authorized or has been approved based on the national inter-agency task force guidelines.
“It is hoped that the move will help reduce COVID-19 cases in Baliwag, wherein 61 percent of it have history of travel to high risk areas like the National Capital Region (NCR),” Estrella said.
Authorized persons outside of residence (APOR) working in NCR are advised to rent a room or apartment near their workplace. Those who cannot afford to rent a room or apartment in NCR, an APOR village has been established in Baliwag where they can stay.
For those that are not covered by essential travel and not an APOR, they can still proceed to Baliwag provided that they undergo 14-day quarantine to make sure they are not health risk.
Border roads will be closed in Barangays Hinukay, Paitan, Piel, Barangka, Calantipay, Sabang and Matangtubig.
On the othe hand, checkpoints will be established in Barangay Tilapayong, Calantipay, Pinagbarilan, Tarcan, Makinabang, Concepcion, tibag, Sabang, Santa Barbara and Tiaong.
It can be recalled that Estrella tested positive for the viral disease sometime in mid-March and has undergone two weeks of quarantine together with at least nine department heads of the local government unit of the town while his vice mayor temporarily assumed the chief executive post of the town.
Meanwhile, as of Sept. 5, Municipal Health Office of Baliwag reported that it has 189 confirmed positive cases in the said town wherein 96 are active cases and 86 recovered cases while fatalities remain 7.