Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan
CEBU CITY, Philippines—While he looks forward to implementing more relaxed regulations, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan said that a shift to general community quarantine (GCQ) is not yet needed for now.
Chan said that his city has to remain under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) especially with the continuing increase in the number of coronavirus infections.
As of Tuesday, May 12, 2020, Lapu-LapuCity logged 48 cases of the infection with 24 recoveries and one death.
“Maanindot paminawon kining maong kalambuan apan DILI nato pwede igsapayan ang kaluwasan sa atong mga lumulupyo hilabi na nga sagad sa mga nag-positibo kay asymptomatic ug mas daghan kanato ang wala pa maka-undergo sa Strategic Rapid Test. Nagkataas ang atong kaso sa COVID19. Laktod pagkastorya, DILI pa andam ang atong dakbayan sa General Community Quarantine,” Chan said in a Facebook post Tuesday night, May 12, 2020.
(The planned shift to GCQ is a welcome development, however, we cannot compromise the safety of our people especially since many of the existing COVID-19 cases in the city are asymptomatic and many are yet to undergo Strategic Rapid Test. COVID-19 cases continue to increase. Thus, the city is not yet ready to shit to General Community Quarantine.)
“Dili pwede nga ibutang tamong tanan sa peligro (We cannot put everyone at risk) because YOUR SAFETY WILL ALWAYS BE MY TOP PRIORITY,” he added.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has recommended placing Cebu City under modified ECQ and graduate the cities of Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu to GCQ starting on May 16, 2020.
In a joint statement, tri-cities mayors said that they would opt to remain under ECQ for now.
Read: Cebu Tri-cities asks IATF to keep them under ECQ
In a phone interview with CDN Digital, Chan said that he does not want the city’s efforts to go to waste especially with the ongoing conduct of rapid mass testing.
“Para nako mapadayon kay tungod ani atong gi pa higayon nga mass testing. Mura ba og sayang sad atong gi preparar ini, ato ning gipang andam-an nga gipa higayon nga rapid test, unya mo kalit lang tag ka hunong, sayang,” he said.
(For me, there is a need to continue with the ECQ because of the ongoing mass testing. It would be a waste of effort, especially with the preparations that we have done (if we will not finish the mass testing) and allow a shift to GCQ.)
But should IATF insist that Lapu-Lapu City already graduate to GCQ, Chan said that he will also prepare for the shift.
“If ever i-disapprove atong letter mag andam pa ta ana,” he said. / dcb