People rush to their hometowns in the north of Cebu a few days before the enhanced community quarantine will be implemented in the province and in Metro Cebu starting Monday. | CDN Digital file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Officials in Cebu are encouraging Cebuanos to finalize their plans, and prepare ahead of the looming lockdown in Cebu City.
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia announced on Friday, March 27, 2020, that the province would be closing its borders in the north, south, and west to Cebu City starting this Monday, March 30, 2020 at 12:01 a.m.
Garcia said the Capitol would be restricting entry of those from the island’s capital through its north border (Mandaue City), south border (Talisay City) and west border (Balamban) due to the rising presumptive positive cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) here.
In the meantime, the governor announced that the Cebu City government had heeded their request to give public utility vehicles (PUVs) bound for Cebu province exemption on the lockdown which will take effect tomorrow, Saturday (March 28, 2020).
“Within that span of time, buses, mini-buses, vans-for-hire, and other modes of public transportation with definite routes to and from the northern and southern part of Cebu province will be allowed to ferry passengers in and out of Cebu City,” said Garcia.
Garcia, however, said this would only last up to 12 midnight on Sunday, March 29, 2020.
After this, she said, all borders in Cebu, including Cebu City, would bar and prohibit anyone from entering and leaving respectively at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, March 30, 2020.
“This is why we’re telling everyone to please do the proper preparations, and they should be in their (desired) places before the (whole) lockdown will take effect,” she said in a mix of Cebuano and English.
“If you’re, let’s say, from Cebu City and you work in Lapu-Lapu City, you have to be in Lapu-Lapu City before the lockdown will take effect on Monday, 12:01 a.m.,” Garcia added.
The governor also said only frontline workers would be exempted from the orders.
“If it is not essential and if it is not a medical trip or reason, then that will not be allowed,” said Garcia./dbs