Labella to city residents: Behave on Sundays or else…

A police checkpoint was established in Baragay Suba, Cebu City in this June 27 photo to discourage residents from leaving their homes. | CDND File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The authority which Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella gave to allow city residents to leave their homes to buy essentials on Sundays is not absolute.

Labella said that the privilege will be revoked as soon as he would start to notice abuses.

“Atong observahan ang body language, demeanor, ug disciplinary attitude. If di gani disiplina, atong tangatangon,” he said.

(We will be observing the body language, demeanor, and the disciplinary attitude [of the people]. If they are not disciplined, I will revoke [the privilege].)

Labella issued Executive Order No. 86-A on Thursday, August 6, to already allow city residents to use their Q passes when going out of their homes on Sunday now that the city is under a more relaxed general community quarantine (GCQ).

READ: Labella amends EO to allow use of Q passes on Sundays

EO No. 86-A will give Cebuanos more freedom to purchase essential and do very important errands on Sundays, something that was prohibited by EO No. 86.

But he warned that residents will be placed under close monitoring to see if they continue to comply with health and safety protocols now implemented in Cebu City like the practice of social distancing, wearing of masks, and the bringing of quarantine passes.

Meanwhile, Labella is asking for patience from those who wanted to go out of their homes on Sundays to hear Mass and attend religious activities.

The mayor said that he already asked the permission of the Inter-Agency Task Force to allow 10 percent occupancy of churches during Masses.

“We are still waiting for the response of the IATF,” he said. / dcb