Talisay City map.
(Photo grabbed from google)
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Talisay City will be officially shedding its modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) status.
This after Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia announced on Friday, June 19, that the regional anti-coronavirus task force had concurred with the Capitol’s proposal to downgrade Talisay City’s MECQ to a more relaxed general community quarantine (GCQ).
“Karun lang gyud (Just now). I just got the word karun (now) and atong (our) EO (executive order) is effective upon the concurrence of the Regional IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force). So, congratulations Talisay, and congratulations Mayor Samsam,” said Garcia during her regular press conference.
The provincial government has pushed for Talisay City to be placed under GCQ and even crafted an EO to formalize its implementation.
READ MORE: Talisay’s downgrade to GCQ awaits RIATF concurrence
Meanwhile, the governor welcomed the development and expressed hope that it would give residents and local officials in Talisay City a renewed sense of hope.
“I hope this will spell hope… Maningkamot ta kay naa ang Ginoo, di na mubiya nato (We’ll do our best to fight against the pandemic because God is there, He will not leave us),” said Garcia.
The national IATF last June 15 placed Talisay City, a second-class city that borders Cebu City in the south, under MECQ. Talisay City is also the lone component city in the country reverted to stricter quarantine protocols while the rest of Cebu province remained under GCQ.
Cebu City, on the other hand, was the only highly-urbanized city (HUC) in the Philippines that escalated back to the strictest community quarantine status. /dbs