The city government yesterday ordered all barangay captains to halt distribution of quarantine passes, food passes, and work passes until they will come up with a better system.
In its Facebook page, the city advised barangay captains to wait for further instructions to avoid chaos and confusion.
Yesterday morning, some barangay officials have started distributing home quarantine passes. Each household gets one ID. Only one family member can use the pass to buy food or medicine. Those who will be caught without the proper authority will be fined or imprisoned.
The quarantine pass aims to limit the number of people going out of their homes to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Earlier, the Department of Interior Local Government said the passes are for free not for sale.
However, the city received reports that some barangays have asked their constituents to get their quarantine passes at the barangay hall. As a result, residents had to violate the physical distancing protocol while queuing for their IDs.
In an earlier televised press briefing, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said barangay officials selling quarantine passes will be sued. Nograles also reminded local government units with villages distributing quarantine passes to coordinate their efforts with the Department of the Interior and Local Government for the correct guideline.
