By J. Jala and Helen Castaño| 02:13 PM March 16, 2020
Police, backed by the army and coast guard, started sealing the ports and wharfs of Bohol from most domestic travelers on Monday, March 16, in a drastic containment moves against the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19)..
Effective Monday midnight, the province of 1.3 million people was placed in a state of “community quarantine,” which involves a ban on land, domestic air, and domestic sea travels.
Bohol Governor Arthur Yap announced that this will be implemented from March 16 to 20. Yap also disallowed public gatherings. Even cockfighting is also prohibited for a month.
Classes are suspended until April 12. Authorities strictly monitored the ports and wharfs in Bohol. Some passengers waited at the Tagbilaran City port. Their 10:30 p.m and 11:59 p.m. trips bound for Cebu City were cancelled on Sunday evening. Others took the 8 a.m. Monday trip to Argao, Cebu.
Police Colonel Jonathan Cabal, acting director of the Bohol Provincial Police Office, said police are on full alert especially those municipalities with ports and wharfs to enforce the community quarantine.
Bohol has several entry points from Leyte, Cebu, Siqujor and Negros Island.
