Cebu Citizens Initiative calls for unity, solidarity amid COVID-19 pandemic

The Cebu Citizens’ Initiative for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) holds a Zoom conference with members of the media on Friday, July 3, 2020.

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu Citizens’ Initiative for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has launched a campaign calling on unity and solidarity amidst the pandemic.

This civil society group is composed of the Cebu City Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Rotary District 3860, Junior Chamber International Philippines (JCI) Senate Cebu, the University of San Carlos, Chamber of Real Estate and Builders’ Associations Inc. (CREBA), Professionals for Active Citizenship and Transformation (PACT), and other civil organizations.

In their statement, the Cebu Citizens’ Initiative said there is a need to raise consciousness and help shape public behavior to combat the pandemic proactively.

“We are wary that the ECQ has been extended in Cebu City with the rest of Cebu still in GCQ until July 15, 2020. We are anxious the quarantine will continue beyond if everyone will not shape up. We have suffered so much over the past four months,” said the group.

The group notes how businesses have suffered and the many people who lost their job over the quarantine period. They also said that the number of deaths from both the public and front-liners is concerning.

“Our doctors and front-liners in the medical field are already overwhelmed, our law enforcers tired, some of them afflicted by the virus. We are calling on our Fellow Cebuanos to please take this pandemic, this crisis, really seriously,” said the group.

The campaign of the Cebu Citizens’ Initiative is to magnify public awareness on what every individual can do to proactively help in the fight against the coronavirus.

Starting July 3, 2020, at least 15 radio stations in Cebu, which are members of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), will be airing a public campaign for one hour each day for talks with experts, civic leaders, and sectoral leaders, to discus the COVID-19 and how to avoid this.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma will lead the talk on its first day tomorrow in certain stations such as DYRC, DYLA, DYAB, Yes The Best FM, Monster Radio, and DYRF.

The group also urged the media in Cebu to intensify the information campaign over the virus so that ordinary people may finally realize that everyone has to contribute to defeat the pandemic.

“Let us all rise and fight. Our lives and those of our loved ones depend on how we battle this unseen force. This is our fight. The best way to fight is for us to stay home. We need to sacrifice in unison, in the spirit of cooperation. We can do what people power truly is. Hand in hand, let us get through this predicament together,” said the group. /bmjo