In this June 2020 photo, people are seen on the streets of Baragay Suba in Cebu City. | file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is warning the public not to be too complacent now that Cebu City is under a more relaxed Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).
Councilor Joel Garganera, the deputy chief implementor of the EOC in Cebu City, cited a World Health Organization (WHO) study that shows that cases in a locality usually rise within two weeks of a quarantine status downgrade.
Read: Cebu City implements ‘more relaxed’ quarantine measures under MGCQ
The cases would rise as more people are confident of going to public areas, which in turn increases the chances for the virus to spread.
Furthermore, Garganera said there are fewer police now to implement the quarantine protocols with the recall of augmentation forces back to their mother units, including the Special Action Forces (SAF) and police units from other regions.
“Worried kaayo mi ani. More so karon, minus na atong warm bodies. Ang focus run sa police di na purely COVID-19 kay there are now areas where people can converge and these are areas where crimes can happen,” said Garganera.
(We are very worried. More so that now we have fewer warm bodies to uphold order. The focus of the police will no longer be centered with COVID-19 because there are now areas where people can converge and these are areas where crimes can happen.)
With this, Gagrnara urged the public to remain extra vigilant under the MGCQ and continue to wear mask in public, maintain social distancing, and disinfect regularly.
Read: PRO-7 director appeals to public: Maintain discipline even under MGCQ
The EOC is already meeting with the police to decide on the time of checkpoints with respect to the expected increase in traffic, especially during rush hours.
He said that with the relaxed protocols with regards to movement, changes should be expected on the streets with more people around, but the city will still strictly uphold the basic health protocols. /bmjo