DAVAO CITY - The local government of Jose Abad Santos (JAS) town in Davao Occidental has extended the temporary precautionary lockdown in its two barangays until October 16 to curb the surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

In a public post on Monday, Mayor Jason John Joyce said the municipality deemed it proper to curtail the movement of people by enforcing a total lockdown in Barangay Caburan Big and Barangay Caburan Small.

It can be recalled that on October 3, Joyce issued Executive Order (EO) 21-020 placing the two barangays under a one-week lockdown from October 4 to October 9.

In his latest EO 21-022, Joyce stressed the need to extend the lockdown and further control the Covid-19 cases in their town because the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), the Covid referral hospital of Davao Occidental, already has full occupancy of its Covid-19 beds.

He added that the municipality is currently experiencing a surge, with 392 total confirmed cases, 136 cases of which are active as of October 6.

"All residents of Barangays Caburan Big and Caburan Small are mandated to stay inside their homes and are prohibited from going out, except for urgent medical emergencies, and except for the following authorized persons outside of residence (APOR)," Joyce said in the EO.

To limit the movement of all residents, officials of the affected barangays have issued food and medicine passes per family.

"This will be used whenever there is a need to buy and look for food, go to the hospital, or when an emergency situation necessitates. All households shall apply at the barangay concerned for issuance of FM (food and medicine) pass limited to two individuals per household. FM passes should be free of charge," the EO added. (PNA)