Chairs and pews in the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral are tied up with black straw for social distancing between churchgoers during masses. | CDN Digital Gerard Vincent Francisco
CEBU CITY, Philippines — All towns and component cities belonging to Cebu province are ordered to cancel large gatherings and assemblies, observe social distancing, and implement curfew as means to curb the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia issued and signed Executive Order (EO) No. 5-G, an addendum to EO No. 5 that laid down the quarantine guidelines for passengers coming from ban-covered countries.
The EO was signed on March 14, 2020, and was released to members of the media Sunday, March 15, 2020.
Curfew
The Capitol ordered local government units in Cebu province to ensure that all measures mentioned in the EO would be complied with.
Among these is the implementation of a curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Restaurants were also told to limit their operation hours only up to 9 p.m.
Those exempted from the EO are pharmacies, 24-hour convenience stores, individuals tasked to essential services.
“Other exemptions shall be subject to the approval of the Provincial Governor,” the EO stated.
It can be recalled that Garcia, in a press conference on March 14, 2020, announced that those who would want to be exempted from curfew would have to submit a formal request to her office.
Cancellation of Big Gatherings, Social Distancing
Garcia also directed local government officials to cancel all large gatherings and assemblies, and sports events, tournaments, and competitions.
Karaoke sessions in public places were also prohibited.
“All movie houses, pools, recreations centers, gyms, cockpits, and other communal activity centers in the Province are hereby ordered close,” the order said.
The province also discouraged families and friends from doing hospital visits.
While the Archdiocese of Cebu did not suspend religious gatherings and Masses, the Capitol, for their part, advised its leaders to implement social distancing.
Recently, Garcia ordered to immediately ban the entry of passengers from Negros Oriental after it reported the death of its first COVID-19 patient on Sunday, March 14, 2020.
There are 111 patients in the country confirmed to have contracted the virus. Its death toll now stands at 9, including the latest fatality in Negros Oriental./dbs