ECQ in Cebu City starts today

CEBU, Philippines —  Starting midday today, Cebu City will be under a state of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to intensify measures aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Mayor Edgardo Labella issued executive order no. 64 Friday declaring the city under a state of ECQ effective 12:00 noon of March 28 until 12:00 noon of April 28, “or unless sooner lifted or withdrawn.”

The most recent declaration means strict home quarantine in all households, transportation suspended, provision for food and essential services regulated, and heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce quarantine procedures.

In connection to the declaration, Labella issued an executive order yesterday, March 27, regulating the movement of people in the city during the period of ECQ and its provided guidelines.

ECQ Passes

As the city is under a state of ECQ, there is a necessity for the city government to issue ECQ passes to strictly regulate the number of individuals who leave their homes to buy essential goods, as well as the number of individuals who go in and out of the city.

The people required to secure ECQ passes are one member per household for city residents; non-residents who are qualified to enter and exit the city who are not exempted under EO 64; residents who are qualified and need to exit and enter the city, unless exempted under EO 64; and all other persons as determined by the city government to secure an ECQ pass.

As stated in the executive order, only the city government, through the Office of the Mayor or his duly authorized representatives, shall issue the ECQ passes. The distribution may be delegated to the Philippine National Police (PNP), barangay, and other authorized person as may be necessary.

No fees shall be collected for the ECQ passes. These are "absolutely not for sale."

Types of ECQ pass

There will be four types of ECQ passes to be issued by the city government that shall be classified by purpose and color.

City residents will get a green pass; officials and employees of government offices will get a red pass; non-city residents will get a blue pass; and crisis management team members and frontliners will get a white pass.

The green passes will be distributed house to house by the police, barangay, and or any authorized person appointed by the Office of the Mayor.

The distribution shall be done within five days from March 28, which means strict implementation of the “NO PASS, NO EXIT POLICY” will begin on April 1.

In the meantime, those designated to purchase essentials for a household can present his/her identification to the PNP or Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) if he wishes to go out within the five-day transition period.

For the red passes, government workers should submit a letter-request to the Office of the Mayor personally or through email at [email protected] with the subject "GOE- (Name of Office)." It must specify the names and functions of the government officials or employees to be given ECQ passes.

For blue passes, non-residents should submit a letter-request to the Office of the Mayor personally or through email at [email protected] with the subject "NR- (Family Name)- (LGU of Residence)." One letter-request shall only be good for one individual.

For the white passes, crisis management teams and frontliners should submit a letter-request to the Office of the Mayor personally or through email at [email protected] with the subject "CMTF- (Office, Agency, or Company." It must specify the names and functions of the team members and frontliners to be given ECQ passes.

The application shall be evaluated by the Office of the Mayor. Once approved, the same office shall issue ECQ pass/es to the applicant.

Exemptions

The “STAY AT HOME ORDER” shall not apply to medical practitioners, officers, hospital staff, nurses, and health volunteers; emergency personnel; all authorized national and local government officials and employees; drivers and personnel of delivery vehicles of all types of cargoes; accredited media personnel; farmers, fishermen, and agri-business personnel; and persons who seek medical attention or who are already admitted in any medical facility, provided that only one companion shall be allowed, among others.

These persons are no longer required to secure ECQ passes, but shall present their company ID or any bona fide document to prove that they fall under the exemption.

Those who will reproduce or use ECQ passes without authorization from the city government will face charges.

The city government may accept online application and processing system of ECQ passes through web or mobile application.

The AFP and PNP are directed to implement the full extent of the order.

Barangays through the active involvement of the barangay captains, officials, tanods, and other force multipliers are likewise mandated to implement the order in their respective jurisdiction and in coordination with law enforcement agencies. JMO (FREEMAN)