CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City has been placed under a 30-day community quarantine starting today until April 14, 2020 in efforts to ward off and contain COVID-19.
Mayor Edgardo Labella said this means that residents of the city are strongly advised to stay in their homes, and may only come out for work, to buy food, medicines and necessary supplies, and go to medical centers.
Labella told reporters yesterday that no one should be in the malls, community centers, commercial areas and other public areas if they do not have any important transactions in there.
The new measures are contained in his Executive Order No. 052, which also includes the following guidelines:
• Suspension of classes in both public and private educational institutions in all levels is extended until April 14, 2020. All educational institutions are to implement distance learning and provide home assignments and projects to all students to continue the fulfillment of their educational requirements.
• Government work shall not be disrupted. However, government agencies operating within Cebu City are encouraged to provide alternative work arrangements pursuant to Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular No. 07, series of 2020.
• All private establishments are mandated to have temperature scanning devices at all entry points in their premises and should ensure that hand soaps are available in the restrooms and that hand sanitizers and/or alcohol are readily accessible.
• All mass gatherings, including but not limited to concerts, cockpit operations, fiesta celebrations, private and publicly led, are cancelled and postponed.
• Sea ports within the jurisdiction of the city government are declared closed to passenger arrivals except for cargo deliveries of essential goods. However, those in transit upon the effectivity of the EO will be allowed to dock but shall be subjected to quarantine protocols prescribed by the Department of Health.
• Public transportation in the city is allowed, subject to the observance of the Department of Transportation’s guidelines on social distancing and community quarantine: one seat apart and passenger occupancy should not be more than half of the capacity of the vehicle, including the driver.
• The city government shall implement a nine-hour curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. during the entire period of the community quarantine.
• Health checkpoints shall be installed in all entry points in the city with the assistance of the PNP and AFP.
• Hospitals and medical establishments are directed to oblige all their health workers to wear proper protective equipment. Employees handling cadavers are likewise mandated to observe protocols on wearing protective equipment.
• Residents are to expect temporary closures of road as the necessity of conditions require.
• All barangays are instructed to conduct house to house monitoring of individuals, particularly documenting pregnant women, sick individuals, senior citizens, and children under 10 years old.
• The city government reserves the right to establish first response areas in certain barangay clusters.
The EO shall be deemed automatically lifted/revoked effective 11:59 p.m. of April 14, 2020, unless extended should the circumstances warrant.
4-day workweek
The city government is adopting a four-day workweek as an alternative work arrangement for the duration of the public health emergency.
"The operational hours of the Cebu City government offices will be from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. , Mondays to Thursdays. All employees are directed to time in on or before 8 a.m. and time out on or after 6 p.m.," the memorandum issued by Labella read.
It added that those who time out before 6 p.m. shall be considered to have rendered undertime.
All employees are also directed to observe the No Noon Break policy and to have their meals within their work stations.
Also, the departments and offices with frontline services are mandated to maintain a skeletal workforce on Fridays, who shall render the regular service hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Shipping losses
Meanwhile, the Cebu-based and the country's biggest shipping association, the Philippine Coastwise Shipping Association, said banning of ships from sailing will entail huge losses, it will nevertheless cooperate with the government if this is one way to contain the spread of the virus.
“This goes without saying that the travel ban will surely incurred huge economic loss on the part of the shipowners and of course other stakeholders. But we have to cooperate with the government,” PCSA administrator Edgar Nicolas told The FREEMAN yesterday.
Nicolas also called on shipowners not to violate the sea travel ban. He added that he has no idea yet as to how many vessels and trips may be affected.
The three shipping associations that merged into PCSA are the Philippine RORO Operators Association, Visayan Association of Ferry Boat and Coastwise Ship-owners Operators and United Trampers Association of the Philippines.
In a separate interview, Philippine Coast Guard-Central Visayas spokesperson Lieutenant Junior Grade Erick Salcedo warned shipowners that they will be sanctioned and face revocation of their business permits by the concerned local government units if they will violate the ban.
“To all violators, we will not hesitate to issue violations to those who are found in violation of the order. Nevertheless, assurance from the shipping companies naman po were given that they would comply to whatever regulations would be imposed in order to prevent the spread of the virus. Wala naman po kaming problema ngayon sa mga shipping companies, they are very cooperative so to speak,” Salcedo said.
“The PCG in coordination with the LGUs, concerned agencies and shipping companies would like to reassure the public that we are doing everything we can and have been working round the clock to prevent the proliferation of this virus in our country,” Salcedo added. JMD (FREEMAN)