Gealon to residents of locked down areas: Be patient

Workers from the Cebu City Health Department take swab samples from residents in Sitio Callejon, Barangay Labangon in this photo courtesy of Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella.

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City spokesperson, Lawyer Rey Gealon, urged the residents of locked down areas in the city to be patient and remain compliant to the quarantine guidelines.

He said in a press conference on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, that the city is already working on the assessment of the locked down areas recommended for lifting.

These areas include Sitio Callejon in Barangay Labangon, Sitio Zapatera in Barangay Luz, parts of Barangays Bacayan, Mambaling, and Tejero.

Gealon said the City Health personnel have already been deployed to these areas to do the final sweep of swab testing, disinfection, and general assessment of the residents to ensure that the sitios (sub-villages) are ready to be lifted out of the lockdown.

He said that without properly assessing the situation, a second wave of cases may force the areas to be locked down in the following weeks, losing the purpose of the lockdown in the first place.

Sitio Zapatera, Barrio Luz and Sitio Callejon, Labangon, were lifted out of lockdown in mid-May 2020 only to be returned to a lockdown state due to new recorded cases in the area.

“Ato lang hangyo sa mga nagpuyo aning mga lugara, hulat lang ta kay malift ra gyod ang lockdown sa atoa,” said Gealon.

(We request the residents of these area to wait because the lockdown will eventually be lifted.)

City Administrator Floro Casas, Jr., will make the recommendation to the Cebu City Health for the lifting of the lockdown and once the City Health has cleared the area, the area can already be released.

Gealon said the lifting of the lockdown does not mean the residents can be complacent as the virus can return. Residents are urged to minimize going out, follow the general community quarantine guidelines, wear protective equipment, and practice proper hygiene. /bmjo