Announcement to be made on charter day: Cebu City eyes lifting curfew

CEBU, Philippines —  The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Cebu City is open to the possibility of lifting the curfew in the city now that the city is under Alert Level 2.

Such change in policy, however, should not be rushed, said EOC head, Councilor Joel Garganera.

“I’m very open to that with the mayor and he is also very open to it,” Garganera told reporters on Wednesday.

 The city observes an 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew for adults and a 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew for minors. It’s neighbor, Mandaue City, has already lifted the curfew on adults but retains an 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew for minors. Cebu City will be under Alert Level 2 for the rest of February.

The national Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) placed it under Alert Level 3 for a month since January owing to a sharp spike in COVID cases believed to be spurred by the highly transmissible Omicron variant. From 7,777 active cases on January 28, numbers have gone down to 1,745 as of February 16.

“We have reached this far, so dili nato dali-dalion… we have to do it at less atong risk,” Garganera said.

He said the city will consult different sectors on the plan but lifting the curfew is expected to benefit the business sector the most.

“We will be consulting, especially the police, the business sector, the chamber of commerce on how it will affect them… of course, it will benefit them and, thirdly, the health sector, so kaning tanan we cannot afford to commit the slightest mistake… the mayor’s instruction is we have to do it less ang atong risk,” Garganera said.

While plans are being ironed out, Garganera said the city will continue to abide by the guidelines set by IATF for LGUs under Alert Level 2.

 “Mao say atong sundon… the mayor will call a convergence meeting. Ang gusto sa mayor nga once mu-tackle ta og currfew, mu-tackle ta on vaccination card, all the sectors should be consulted para wala tay problema sa pag-cascade, sa pag-enforce… so that will be soon, it’s just a matter of time,” Garganera said.

 Rama, for his part, said all is considered in the plan to lift the curfew. He will make an announcement on the city’s Charter Day on February 24.

 “You just have to wait because that pronouncement that I will have, which will be followed by an executive order, will be sort of an encompassing catch-all executive order… not much to be said but a short… I call it ‘sweet, brief, and clear’,” Rama said.

He said the police will continue to enforce health protocols, which will be the city’s focus “in the days to come and maybe in the months ahead of us.”

Alert Level 1

With Cebu and the rest of Central Visayas able to control its number of COVID cases and now back to Alert Level 2, Department of Health (DOH)-7 chief pathologist Mary Jean Loreche said going down further to Alert Level 1 is very much achievable.

Loreche is also the spokesperson of the Visayas Vaccination Operations Center (VVOC).

“Kaya ba nating maging Alert Level No. 1? My answer is a very positive yes!” Loreche said.

What is needed is everyone’s cooperation. “Mahalaga lang po ang ating pagtulong-tulong sa isa’t isa... tulungan po ito… because this is actually a shared responsibility,” she said.

“Hindi kakayanin kung yung government lang po… LGU leaders lang ang mag-execute ng executive orders… Mahalaga po tayo are very aware on how to live with COVID. Nasa mga kamay natin yan,” Loreche said.

People can also expect to continue wearing a mask even under Alert Level 1. “Pwede na bang hindi mag-facemask? The answer is no… There will be a right and proper time for that removal of face masks,” Loreche said.--- Mary Ruth R. Malinao, JMO (FREEMAN)