By Joseph Almer Pedrajas The local government of Valenzuela has warned its residents that discrimination due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak is punishable under the city's existing ordinance. (VALENZUELA CITY PIO / MANILA BULLETIN) Under Ordinance No. 600 S. 2019 or "An Ordinance Strengthening the Anti-Discrimination and Equal Protection System of Laws in Valenzuela," "it shall be prohibited to discriminate any person on the basis of any...conditions or situations." The measure, which has been in effect since Sept. 2019, stemmed from the city council's belief that "bashing, bullying, discrimination, persecution or oppression...still exist in the Philippines" and that "there is a need to strengthen the system of laws..." Among acts prohibited under the said ordinance are: denying any person on the basis of any condition access to public services, refusing or revoking him or her an accreditation, denying his or her access to health services, denying or revoking his or her application for a professional license and refusing to admit or expel him or her from any education or academic institutions without prejudice. Under the ordinance, verbal or non-verbal vilification of a person on the basis of his or her condition or situation and infliction of physical injuries or death on her or him are also prohibited. Those who would be found violating the measure shall be fined P3,000 or face imprisonment of up to 60 days or both. "Ngayong panahon ng enhanced community quarantine, iwasan natin ang diskriminasyon laban sa ating medical frontliners na patuloy na nagsisilbi upang labanan ang pagkalat ng COVID-19," the local government said.