Resch, Rama back calls for temporary closure of Suba Fish Port

The fish port in Barangay Suba was closed for disinfection on April 21, 2020 following the discovery of a COVID-19 case in the area. | Gerard Vincent Francisco

CEBU CITY, Philippines — At least two members of the Cebu City Council are pushing for the temporary closure of the fish port in Barangay Suba to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to the nearby Pasil Fish Market and eventually to other parts of the city.

Councilor Jessica Resch, the president of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation and an ex-officio member of the City Council, said that the fish port and fish market are interconnected, putting occupants of the two areas prone to infection.

Read: Suba Fish Port closed for 12 hours

She said there is now a need for Mayor Edgardo Labella to order the City Market Authority to order the closure of the fish port until such time that the area is cleared of the disease.

“Right now, all the council can do is to listen to the concerns of the barangays. We can only prod the executive department to do what is right. So we are asking the Market Authority to close down the Suba Fish Port,” said Resch, who represent Barangays Pasil, Suba, and San Nicolas Proper in the council’s continuous efforts to help the barangays combat the infection.

Councilor Eduardo Rama said that even Suba officials want their fish port closed for now following the discovery of a total of 15 COVID-19 cases in their barangay as of May 1, 2020.

Rama said that constant disinfection alone was no longer enough to protect the occupants of the two neighboring barangays.

Read: No closure of Suba Fishport, only regular disinfection to be done

Afraid to risk the reduction of fish supply in the city’s public markets, Labella said in an earlier interview that he will not order the closure of the fish port.

Labella said that regular disinfection will be done to address worries on the possible spread of the virus there.

In her report which she delivered during the City Council’s special session Friday night, Resch said that Pasil barangay officials also seek the closure of the fish port’s access to their fish market.

To reiterate her call, Resch said that she will sponsor a resolution during the council session on Monday, May 4, 2020, to seek the temporary closure of the Suba Fish Port.

She will attach copies of the approved resolutions coming from Barangays Suba and Pasil calling for the same. / dcb