Cebu City ECQ extended until May 15

MANILA, Philippines — The enhanced community quarantine in Cebu City will be extended until May 15.

Mayor Edgardo Labella announced the extension on Wednesday even as he gave assurance that it could be lifted sooner “if the situation improves.”

“There is a need to extend the ECQ in Cebu City as COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) cases continue to rise due to the fact that we have been doing targeted and massive testing in barangays where there are positive cases,” Labella said.

He said he would issue an executive order (EO) on the quarantine extension next week. The ECQ in Cebu City, which started on March 28, was supposed to end on April 28.

Cebu City recorded 18 new cases yesterday, bringing the number of those infected to 328.

Two of the new cases are from the Cebu City jail, where 123 cases were reported on Wednesday.

Thirteen of those infected are Bureau of Jail Management and Penology personnel.

Labella said a quarantine facility in North Reclamation Area would be operational tomorrow.

Modified quarantine in Davao City

Meanwhile, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said the city would be under a modified community quarantine starting April 27.

Carpio said she would issue an EO on the modified ECQ today as recommended by epidemiologists and infectious diseases specialists.

She said the cluster system in Davao City along with the curfew and liquor ban would continue to be implemented.

“It would still be the same as an ECQ, but mass transport is less than the regular that we see,” Carpio said.

She said work in offices could resume subject to physical distancing and shortened schedule. – Iris Hazel Mascardo, Lorraine Ecarma/The Freeman, Edith Regalado