With lockdown underway, no more international arrivals in Cebu starting March 27

MCIA Terminal 2 | Photo courtesy of GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation

CEBU CITY, Philippines — At least 58 passengers of international flights who are set to land on Mactan Cebu International Airport on Thursday, March 26, 2020, will be the last batch of outsiders that will make it inside Cebu.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has announced that effective by midnight on Friday, March 27, any passenger from any country will no longer be allowed to enter the province in view of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation here.

Garcia, in a press conference on Wednesday, March 25, said the measure is necessary because there are already “too many” persons under monitoring (PUMs) that the local government units are taking care of at the moment.

“Gikinahanglan ko mohimo og desisyon tungod ug alang sa atong Sugbo. Ang mga local government units grabe na kaayo og gipas-an sa kadaghan sa mga persons under monitoring kay kinahanglan man ni sila i-kwarantina og 14 days,” Garcia said.

Since March 22, foreigners were no longer allowed to enter the country after the Department of Foreign Affairs announced the suspension of visa issuances.

While foreigners could not get in, Overseas Filipino Workers and their families who chose to be expatriated were allowed to enter the country. These international arrivals landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and the MCIA since the Davao International Airport has already closed since March 19 yet.

“Ang atong gi-set aside nga mga hotel rooms unta, kay duna may mga hotel owners nga out of the goodness of their heart, nitabang nato, nisugot nga adto nato i-kwarantina, sa usa kalibo kapin ka mga hotel rooms, hapit na mahurot, magkuwang na ta,” Garcia said.

This temporary suspension of the entry of all international travelers covers everyone, including Cebuanos.

“Dili na kita modawat ug bisan kinsang pasahero nga naggikan sa nagkadilain nga mga nasud nga mosulod dinhi sa sugbo. This is for the protection of Cebu and the Cebuanos,” she added.

Garcia, in the same press conference, announced that the province is en route to a lockdown.

“I will be issuing an executive order to declare Cebu under enhanced community quarantine or in other words, a lockdown. And as always, I will be counting on the support of the PNP and the military to see to it that this lockdown will be strictly enforced,” Garcia said.

Despite the lockdown, Garcia said that the traffic of goods entering and leaving the province will remain unimpeded.

Persons who wish to travel out of Cebu will also be allowed to exit. However, they may not be allowed to travel back inside the province as long as the lockdown would be in effect.

Garcia said she will be meeting with mayors of the 44 component towns and seven cities to discuss the guidelines of the lockdown tomorrow, March 26. /rcg