CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City and the rest of Cebu Island and Region 7 will remain under modified general community quarantine until the end of August.
Mayor Edgardo Labella agrees with the decision of Malacañang stating that he prefers to keep the quarantine status while the virus is still around.
"Para kanako, modified general (community) quarantine, maayo para nato kay kinahanglan man gyud ta nga naa pa'y mga restrictions. Kon ato ning wagtangon ang restrictions, unya ang virus nia pa gatuyok-tuyok pa, delikado kaayo," Labella said in a press conference yesterday.
(For me, the modified general community quarantine status is good for us. We still need the restrictions. It will be dangerous to remove the restrictions while the virus is still around.)
"Para nako, di gyud maayo'ng tangtangon ang quarantine status... Although, dunay mga restrictions na atong medyo minusan for business also to survive," he added.
(For me, it’s not good to remove the quarantine status… there will be restrictions but we will ease them up a bit for businesses to survive.)
Among the restrictions in Cebu City is the visitation scheme for All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day.
In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, Labella ordered for a temporary closure of all public and private cemeteries, memorial parks, and columbaries in the city from October 29 to November 4, 2020 to avoid people from congregating, which is the easiest way for the virus to spread.
The mayor has instructed Councilor David Tumulak and Raquel Arce, head of the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement (PROBE) team, to "put in place" the rules in the city's cemeteries.
The cemeteries were reopened starting last Saturday so that Cebu City residents can visit their departed loved ones ahead of All Souls’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
"I commend Councilor Tumulak, Col. Ligan, and the rest of the multiplier forces. Sa atong nakita so far, so good ang pag-implement nato sa mga pagbisita sa sementeryo," Labella said.
Senior Citizens
Meanwhile, Labella made it clear that senior citizens who are living alone and have no one to run errands for them can go out even with the MGCQ restrictions.
"Naa naman na sa atong executive order nga kung wa na gyud sila'y laing masugo unya kaya pa sailang lawas, they can just make the proper explanation to our law enforcers, authorities," Labella said.
(It’s in our executive order that they can just explain to the law enforcers, authorities, if they have no one to ask to get necessities for them outside.)
"As long as they can convince nga wa na gyud sila'y laing masugo kay naa ma'y ubang mga senior nga nag-inusara. They have to prove nga wa gyud sila'y laing masugo. Unya, hinaot unta nga og mogawas sila, ang ila ra gyu'ng purpose mao ra ang pagpalit og essential goods or medicine. Dili sila magsuroy-suroy kay naa man gyud na sa national IATF nga risgo gyud ang mga senior citizen og maggawas-gawas," he added.
(As long as they can convince that they have no one else, considering we have senior citizens who live alone. They have to prove that. I just hope that when they go out, they go out only to buy essential goods or medicine, not to roam around. The national IATF has said senior citizens are at high risk when they are outside.)
Pooled Testing
On the other hand, the pooled testing in Cebu City will kick off today with vendors at the Carbon market as the first target sector.
The pooled testing will be participated in by around 2,000 stall owners and ambulant vendors and will be conducted in three days.
The city has recorded low number of cases this past month and Labella said he does not mind if numbers will go up after the pooled testing because this will provide the city a chance to isolate and treat those infected.
"Okay ra. Kung makit-an nato nga modaghan, so be it, so that we can isolate them and provide the necessary medical intervention," Labella said.
(That’s fine, if we will see the number of cases go up so that we can isolate them and provide the necessary medical intervention.)
Case Tally
For two consecutive days, the tri-cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu logged single digits in terms of new COVID-19 cases.
The cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu recorded only three, four, and two additional cases, respectively, on Monday, September 28, 2020, according to Department of Health (DOH) - 7 data.
On Sunday, the three cities recorded only five, three, and eight additional cases.
As shown in the DOH-7 official Facebook page, the total cases in Cebu City is at 9,978 with 392 active cases.
The total number of recoveries is at 8,913 as nine new recoveries were recorded. The total deaths remained at 673 as no new death was reported.
The same data shows that Mandaue City has a total number of cases at 2,437 of which 208 are active.
There were seven additional recoveries bringing the total number of recoveries to 2,087. Two new deaths were recorded bringing the total number of deaths to 142.
Lapu-Lapu City has 2,358 total cases, of which 248 are active.
Six new recoveries were recorded putting the total recoveries to 2,013. Total number of deaths is 97, four of these are new.
In Cebu Province, the total number of cases is now at 5,569 with 552 active cases after recording 14 new cases.
At least 4,670 have recovered of which 71 are new. At least 347 have died.
As of Monday, the whole of Central Visayas recorded a total of 20,855 cases with 1,652 active cases; 17,934 total number of recoveries; and 1,269 deaths. — JMO (FREEMAN)