CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu province will no longer appeal its community quarantine status despite its earlier intent to be downgraded to a modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said that although the province’s COVID-19 situation may have qualified it to be placed under MGCQ, it is difficult to picture the two local government units—Cebu City and Cebu Province— under opposite extremes of the quarantine controls, MGCQ and enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), since its territories are on one island.
Cebu City was placed back under ECQ by the he national government’s anti-coronavirus task force on late Monday evening, June 15, 2020.
Read: It’s back to ECQ for Cebu City
While the province is under GCQ, which will last at least until June 30, Garcia said the Capitol and its component towns and cities will continue to plan out the programs that it will rollout once the quarantine controls are further eased.
These programs, include the rebranding of the province’s tourism industry into a “health and wellness” destination.
Read: Cebu governor says no projects will be sacrificed for COVID-19 response
Garcia is set to meet with the mayors of component towns and cities on Wednesday, June 17, 2020, to set the new border controls with Cebu City since the latter is now under ECQ.
Previously, Garcia has appealed to the Interagency Task Force (IATF) twice to place the province under MGCQ from its current status of GCQ. Both appeals were turned down.
Meanwhile, Garcia reported a total of 490 cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday, June 16.
Of the number, 269 are active cases, 183 have recovered, and 38 have died.
The 269 active cases include 57 who are now confined to hospitals, 39 mild cases, and 173 who are asymptomatic.
Of the number of deaths, Garcia said that only six are attributed to COVID-19 complications, 31 are incidental deaths or caused by other underlying conditions, while the cause of death of the other patient has still to be verified. /bmjo