Devotees attend the first Novena Mass for Fiesta Señor 2021 at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu on Friday, January 8, 2021. CDN Digital photo | Morexette Marie B. Erram
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APOR) are exempted from the quarantine pass requirements for entry to the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu.
This was the statement of Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella on January 8, 2021, for the first day of the Fiesta Señor.
Many medical and other front liners have complained that since they do not have quarantine passes since the pandemic began, they could not enter the Basilica, which required devotees quarantine passes to enter the vicinity.
Labella said that since the frontliners have always been exempted from the quarantine passes since the beginning, they are not expected to procure one now just to attend the Novena Masses.
They need only show their work identification cards, licenses, or certificates of employment for them to enter the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño.
Still, the APORs will still have to follow the first-come-first-served basis and so if the Basilica or its vicinity has reached 50 percent capacity, they will not be allowed to enter anymore.
“The capacity of the Basilica will be followed,” said the mayor.
For quarantine pass holders, the number coding scheme will still follow with odd-ended numbers allowed to go out on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, while even-ended and zero-ended numbers can go out on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Labella also clarified that even residents of other cities in Metro Cebu will need their quarantine passes should they enter the Basilica.
Aside from their locally issued passes, they must also present an identification card to prove that they are residents of their local government unit (LGU).
As for those living in Cebu Province, the mayor urged them not to go to the city anymore.
“Atong hangyo dili nalang sila moanhi sa syudad. Tan-aw nalang sila sa live stream,” said Labella.
The mayor said the first day of the novena showed utmost discipline on the part of the Cebuanos and he thanked the public for following the guidelines.
He urged them to continue this discipline until the end of the Fiesta Señor. /rcg