Use of Cebu City’s Q passes still a must under GCQ

A sample of the new quarantine passes issued to Cebu City residents. | CDND File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Individuals who leave their homes to buy essentials will still be required to use their quarantine passes even if Cebu City is now under a more relaxed quarantine status.

Those who fail to present their Q passes in border checkpoints may be arrested.

Executive Order No. 86 which Mayor Edgardo Labella released late night Friday, July 31, said that the one-person per Q pass rule still applies.

Labella’s EO said that the schedule on the use of Q passes will also continue.

Holders of passes with control numbers ending in odd numbers will only be allowed to leave their homes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Those with Q passes with control numbers ending in even numbers and zero are allowed to go out on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

The use of the Q passes is valid can from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

However, the use of Q passes on Sundays remains suspended even as the city enters the general community quarantine (GCQ) status this Saturday, August 1.

Same Old Problems

But while the city has already migrated to GCQ, problems on the city’s Q passes remain unaddressed.  Police checkpoints still lack scanners for use in checking the QR codes on each of the passes.

Also, many of the city’s residents continue to share the use of one Q pass.

“Usa ra gani mi ka pass sa among tibuok compound. Hangtud ba naman sa GCQ magshare lang gihapon mi?” said a Barangay Guadalupe resident who refused to be named.

(We were only given one Q pass for use by all occupants in our compound.  Now that we are already under GCQ, are we will still suppose to share the use of our passes?)

The resident said that occupants of the five houses in their compound tolerated their use of one Q pass while the city was under enhanced community quarantine.  Extending said arrangement now that the city is already under GCQ is already “undesirable,” she said.

“Gae na intawn mig QR pass, Mayor, kay dili lalim,” said the resident.

(Mayor, please give us additional QR passes now because it’s not easy [to be sharing only one q pass].)

Limited Movement

In an earlier interview, Labella that public movement will still be limited even if the city is now under GCQ. This is the reason why the city will continue to insist on the use of Q passes.

For those who will be reporting for work, the presentation of his/her Identification Card and Certificate of Employee at the border checkpoint will already suffice.

Meanwhile, Labella’s EO said that more businesses including non-essential stores will already be allowed to operate on half-capacity during the GCQ.

Production, construction, and religious activities will also be allowed to resume provided that workers and participants of said activities observe social distancing.

However, the operation of amusement and gaming establishments will remain suspended.

Labella’s EO said that the number of people attending burials or those visiting cemeteries will also be limited to 10.

The city government will also continue to implement limited entry at the Carbo Public Market based on name coding while the market will still be closed for disinfection on Sundays.

Public Transportation

Buses will already be allowed to ply city streets to provide transportation to travelers during the GCQ.

However, the operation of taxis, PUJs, and other public transportation will remain suspended. / dcb