Qpass still needed for nonworkers in tri-cities, Talisay

Workers in Cebu City hit the streets early to get a ride to their workplaces.  Some of the businesses here have resumed operation after two months of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).| Gerard Vincent Francisco

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Talisay, despite their transition to general community quarantine (GCQ) today, June 1, 2020, will continue to require their residents to use their quarantine passes when availing of essential goods.

Despite its earlier pronouncement that quarantine passes are no longer needed, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said that the Local Government Units (LGUs) may still exercise its discretion in requiring the use of quarantine passes “in critical and buffer zones or when required by local conditions.”

Read: DILG: Quarantine passes no longer needed by June 1 unless required by LGUs

In a public advisory, Mandaue City invoked this provision of the DILG and said quarantine passes will still be required amid the COVID-19 cases here for persons who will go out to buy essential goods and medicines while the city is under GCQ.

Workers and employees who will be reporting for work, however, are exempt from the quarantine pass requirement as they will only need to present their valid company identification card and/or certificate of employment.

In Talisay City, Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas also said that quarantine passes are still needed for nonworkers who wish to purchase essentials.

Gullas said the move was needed to ensure that residents maintain social distancing when they go out amid the number of COVID-19 cases in the city.

“The City upon due consultation, will continue to require its residents who are nonworkers to wear their Quarantine Passes every time they go out of their houses. We will still be mandating the use of QP for nonworkers to limit people going out and to observe social distancing,” Gullas said.

Similar to Mandaue City’s policy, the quarantine pass requirement in Talisay City will only be imposed on nonworkers and not those who would be reporting back to their workplaces.  Workers will be required to present their work IDs when in checkpoints.

Gullas said he will incorporate the policy in an executive order which he will soon issue to set the GCQ protocols in the city.

The independent cities of Cebu and Lapu-Lapu have also incorporated the quarantine pass requirement in their respective GCQ guidelines.

Read: In Cebu City’s new normal: Quarantine passes, border checkpoints to stay

In Lapu-Lapu City, only persons with quarantine passes will be allowed to enter the malls and shopping centers that are now operating at a reduced capacity.

Both Cebu City and Lapu-Lapu City are also maintaining their number-coding schemes.

All four cities, meanwhile, are observing a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew schedule within the duration of the GCQ. / dcb