The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered local government units to lift the window hours for buying food in public and private markets.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said Wednesday that restricting the market operations could increase the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) transmission.
Año added that the public should be given 12 hours to buy food provided social distancing will be observed.
In Mabalacat City, the public market is open from 6a.m to 12noon. The city government with the Mabalacat Police has set a schedule per cluster barangay. This took effect immediately on March 24.
Each head of the household is given a home quarantine pass (HQP) which shall be presented on checkpoints. But in a random interview with local buyers, HQPs are not being checked and social distancing is not practiced.
The enhanced community quarantine in the Luzon region is expected to end on April 13 but is subject for extension should the public will not cooperate and obey with the government measures.
