Malacañang: Food delivery allowed 24/7

Food delivery is allowed 24/7 in areas under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), Malacañang clarified on Wednesday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this reminder after a video of a GrabFood rider being barred from delivering lugaw (hot rice porridge) went viral.

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“A video, which has been circulating online, has come to our attention. Lugaw, or any food item for that matter, is considered an essential good,” Roque said in a statement.

Roque on March 27 said delivery and courier services transporting essential goods will be allowed during the ECQ.

“Delivery of food items must remain unhampered 24/7. Huwag natin harangin sa checkpoints (Let’s not stop them at checkpoints),” he added.

In a Facebook live video early Wednesday morning, rider Marvin Ignacio was apparently scolded by a female personnel from San Jose del Monte City government in Bulacan at a quarantine checkpoint, saying the lugaw is a non-essential item.

"Essential po ba si Lugaw? Hindi. Kasi mabubuhay ang tao ng walang lugaw," she was videoed as saying.

She cited the curfew in areas under ECQ from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. by showing the rider a copy of guidelines issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

However, she seemed to have forgotten that Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APORs), workers, cargo vehicles, and public transportation exempted by the said curfew.

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She said the rider should explain the IATF guidelines to the company he works for.

“Sabihin niyo dun sa Grab niyo. Paano po ‘yan pinapa-implement namin (Tell that to Grab. What about the rules we need to implement?” she said.

Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal are currently under ECQ until April 4 to curb the spike in Covid-19 cases nationwide.

Klook.com
Via PNA