Lock Down Problems

[Dave Hounddriver]

10 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

need to go to a hospital

Is there any available space at the hospitals now?  Or would you just get a cot in a hallway?

[Mike J]

11 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

The other problem with lockdown orders are public transport including taxis. Not everyone has access to supermarkets without public transport. What happens if I hurt myself but not enough to require an ambulance but need to go to a hospital, how would I get there? I know no one with a car.

You probably wouldn't. 

[OnMyWay]

Here is our situation in Subic Bay Freeport and Olongapo.

1.  Both areas are on extreme quarantine.  Borders to Olongapo and the Freeport are blockaded.  Non-residents not allowed in except for the usual exceptions.

2.  Both areas require a home quarantine pass (HQP) to leave the house to get necessities.  One person allowed to leave per pass.  From pictures I have seen, it does not appear to be working in Olongapo.

3.  Curfew in Olongapo 6 pm to 5 AM.  Freeport, 8 pm 5 AM

4.  The major groceries in the Freeport are open on shorter hours and reduced staff.  Long lines.  Eggs and bread are hard to come by.  Royal Choices closed yesterday for disinfecting.  When they reopened today, only 30 people at a time allowed in.  Long line outside.  They had online delivery service but it has been suspended until further notice.

5.  Effective April 1, Freeport residents who want to leave the Freeport, even to go to Olongapo, must surrender their ID and HQP, and will not be allowed back in.  Some exceptions apply.

5.  Baypointe Hospital in the Freeport apparently has been designated the hospital for serious cases.  We have had two confirmed in the area, but they both were exceptional.

6.  Subic Bay Freeport is readying two buildings for mild cases:  The newly refurbished Subic Gymnasium and the Leceil Hotel.  The Leceil building was completed a few years ago but appeared to never really open.  It is big.

[Marvin Boggs]

Cautionary tale for those venturing through checkpoints:

Until today I had only driven out to local stores and thru a few barangay checkpoints.  Today I visited a shop a little further out. Leaving was no problem...but on returning, there was a National Police manned checkpoint.  Of course they are asking for my quarantine paper, or I can't enter the city.  I told them we were not issued a paper.  They said to return to where I came from, which I responded was in the city.  So I explained what I read about barangay issuing passes 1 per household, but no one had issued us a pass, nor had anyone asked for it.  So he let me through with a stern warning.  On entering the neighborhood, I asked the guard where can I get one of these passes?  So he wrote down my name and cell number in a notebook (maybe to pass along to the barangay?), and said whenever I want to go out the guard house will just give me a pass.  The one he held up was laminated in plastic.  Seems simple, but sketchy at the same time.  

So the two words of caution I have are these:

1) You may not notice any checkpoint when leaving, and they probably won't check you anyway.  It is returning that may be the problem if you don't have a pass, but by then it is too late.

2) Local neighborhoods and barangays may all be doing things a little bit differently.  I would not expect any single standard procedure.  Ours seems rather lax, yours may not be. 

 

As typical in these situations, most people don't really know much about what is going on, including the police.  About all you can do is try to be cooperative and sound reasonable.  They are having us drive over those disinfectant pads, for example, the same ones they used for swine flu.  Like I really don't think that is doing anything against corona virus, but OK it must make them feel better. 

     

[hk blues]

17 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

A little off topic but are they still filling the ATMs? 

I've only used one in Iloilo - it was working both Saturdays

[hk blues]

3 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Is there any available space at the hospitals now?  Or would you just get a cot in a hallway?

Be fair Dave, we're not the UK you know! 

[hk blues]

1 hour ago, Marvin Boggs said:

Cautionary tale for those venturing through checkpoints:

Until today I had only driven out to local stores and thru a few barangay checkpoints.  Today I visited a shop a little further out. Leaving was no problem...but on returning, there was a National Police manned checkpoint.  Of course they are asking for my quarantine paper, or I can't enter the city.  I told them we were not issued a paper.  They said to return to where I came from, which I responded was in the city.  So I explained what I read about barangay issuing passes 1 per household, but no one had issued us a pass, nor had anyone asked for it.  So he let me through with a stern warning.  On entering the neighborhood, I asked the guard where can I get one of these passes?  So he wrote down my name and cell number in a notebook (maybe to pass along to the barangay?), and said whenever I want to go out the guard house will just give me a pass.  The one he held up was laminated in plastic.  Seems simple, but sketchy at the same time.  

So the two words of caution I have are these:

1) You may not notice any checkpoint when leaving, and they probably won't check you anyway.  It is returning that may be the problem if you don't have a pass, but by then it is too late.

2) Local neighborhoods and barangays may all be doing things a little bit differently.  I would not expect any single standard procedure.  Ours seems rather lax, yours may not be. 

 

As typical in these situations, most people don't really know much about what is going on, including the police.  About all you can do is try to be cooperative and sound reasonable.  They are having us drive over those disinfectant pads, for example, the same ones they used for swine flu.  Like I really don't think that is doing anything against corona virus, but OK it must make them feel better. 

     

Thanks Marvin.

Ref. point 1) - I wonder how they would know if you're coming or going.  Obviously, 2 people will pass through the checkpoint heading in the same direction but 1 may be exiting and 1 entering if you get my drift?

Just my case - we were issued a quarantine pass by the HOA a week ago but we need to exchange tomorrow for a new one.  We needed it to ship in Vista Mall for example. 

 

[Arizona Kid]

3 hours ago, Marvin Boggs said:

Cautionary tale for those venturing through checkpoints:

Why don't you just stay home like what they are asking you to do? I don't understand people that insist on going opposite with the flow during serious issues! 

[Jollygoodfellow]

8 hours ago, scott h said:

I will be perfectly blunt and extremely politically incorrect. 

The same as if a person has a heart attack or stroke and is either taken to a hospital without the proper equipment or gets stuck in traffic on the way to the emergency room.

It is one of the calculation we make when we move to a 3rd (or 4th) world country. that doesn't have 911 (or 000 in OZ and 119 in Korea and 999 in Britain)

We either have to accept it or leave 

Im talking about now during lockdown and no taxis. Here in Cebu city there are lots of ambulances and at the moment no traffic at all.  Philippines does have a 911 number for about 2 years or more.

[Jollygoodfellow]

3 hours ago, Marvin Boggs said:

On entering the neighborhood, I asked the guard where can I get one of these passes?  So he wrote down my name and cell number in a notebook (maybe to pass along to the barangay?), and said whenever I want to go out the guard house will just give me a pass.

The pass will have your name on it. Here our condo building the admin office is arranging them and I think most condos do the same. I went out to buy food today with no pass and no one seems to have them in this area yet. Here in Cebu if you leave one city into the next you cant come back unless you are working.