Cebu tightens lockdown

[Jollygoodfellow]

Cebu governor decided to stop those previously with permission to enter the city from neighboring cities to work. I see more business closing here but on the other hand how many are traveling to work since there is no transport? 

Then they say business should find accommodation for employees but the forget they told hotels no new guests so are the blind leading the blind?

Province tightens borders further

Spoiler

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu Province is tightening its borders further following the massive surge in the number of COVID-19 positive cases in Cebu City.

In a meeting yesterday with mayors of local government units in the province, the province withdrew concessions it granted initially through Executive Order No. 5-O-I on individuals exempted from border closure rules after Cebu City raked in large numbers of new COVID-19 positive cases per day.

Yesterday alone, Cebu City recorded 84 new COVID-19 positive cases, 82 of which are from Sitio Zapatera in Barangay Luz. Two others are from Barangay Labangon.

Concessions
Removing some of the concessions in the province’s rules will limit the number of people entering the province and, in effect, limit the risk of them bringing the virus in, especially those who may be infected but are asymptomatic.

To recall, personnel working in grocery stores and supermarkets, drugstores and pharmacies, restaurants, bakeries, fast food chains, and pizza chains and funeral services were allowed to cross the province's borders.

This was upon the request of Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas and Consolacion Mayor Johannes Alegado.

However, once Governor Gwendolyn Garcia issues a formal order, this will no longer be the case.

Personnel working in grocery stores and supermarkets, drugstore and pharmacies, restaurants, bakeries, fast food chains, and pizza chains in Cebu City will no longer be exempted from the border control rules.

If they want to continue working in Cebu City, they will have to live in the city and their employers are encouraged to provide them housing.

The same goes with Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) employees whose work is based in Cebu City.

The delivery of cargo will remain unimpeded but only the driver and one delivery companion will be allowed in the vehicle.

"On one hand, kung ipadayon ni nato nga exemptions, ang risgo kada adlaw nga moanhi sila dinhi, motrabaho, ma-expose sa mga asymptomatic...inig ka hapon, mouli sa tagsa-tagsa ninyo ka local government units, the risk of spreading is greater. On the other hand, kung undangon nato sila, mangawad-an ni sila ug trabaho," Garcia told the mayors during the meeting yesterday.

Accommodation
To address the problem of accommodation, board members are poised to pass a resolution to call on the Cebu City government to direct business owners in its area of jurisdiction to provide board and lodging for their workers for the duration of the enhanced community quarantine.

Housing the workers in the city means the employees would no longer need to go home to the province and be subjected to a 14-day quarantine.

Liloan Mayor Christina Frasco said yesterday: "I think we can expect in the next few days, once this EO is lifted, is there may be an influx of people again returning to the LGUs. Considering that these individuals are technically exposed already dinhi sa Cebu City, can we not, perhaps, mandate by law, these businesses to really house them," Frasco said.

"We will need the participation of Cebu City here because most of these businesses are registered in Cebu City so a commitment from Cebu City nga ilang i-mandate and kadtong mga businesses nga registered in Cebu City to really house the employees," Frasco added.

She said the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)- Cebu in which she is president will pass a resolution to support the Provincial Board’s resolution.

Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama who was present at the meeting agreed and asked other LGUs to do the same.

"I already made my statement very clear. Stay in. And didto pud sa inyo, adto didto puyo. Reciprocity na," Rama said. (I already made my statement very clear. Stay in. If they are staying in your LGU, they should stay there. That’s reciprocity)

Garcia echoed his sentiment and told Rama:

"Kinsay nia diri (Cebu City), anhi puyo. Kung naa moy taga Cebu City nga tua ngadto (cities and municipalites in the Province), adto sad sila puyo," Garcia said. (Those working in Cebu City should stay here. If you have residents who are working in the province, they should stay there)

Meanwhile, Talisay has limited its points of entry to and from Cebu City to just one border, which will be at the South Road Properties (SRP).

An additional checkpoint will also be placed in Barangay Sinsin, Cebu City, a boundary between Talisay and Toledo City.  J

https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/cebu-news/bottom-article-list/2020/04/18/2008093/province-tightens-borders-further

 

[Old55]

Those numbers are concerning.