CEBU CITY, Philippines—Carbon Market may be closed to those who are not from Cebu City during the Holy Week to prevent crowding.
Police Colonel Josefino Ligan, chief of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, that as agreed with the Market Operations Division (MOD), they plan to recommend to Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella to use the barangay-coding system for the market, wherein only residents of Cebu City will be allowed to enter.
For entry to the market, the CCPO suggested the use of a cedula or identification card to prove that an individual is a resident of a Cebu City barangay.
This plan, though, has yet to be finalized by the MOD and approved by Mayor Labella.
Read: Labella’s first order back at City Hall: Secure markets during Lent
The planned barangay coding would start from Holy Wednesday to Black Saturday. Only residents from 20 specific barangays will be allowed to enter the market.
“So atong nasabotan nga katong sistema last year nga naay days, naay adlaw ang kada brangay nga mosulod sa Carbon, ato tong ipatuman tog balik. For Cebu City only kana nga season, walay labot ang outside ana,” said Ligan.
(We agreed that the system used last year, wherein there will be days that those from a certain barangay can enter the Carbon Market will be used again. That season will only be for Cebu City [residents], not including those from outside the city.)
Aside from the barangay coding, the CCPO also suggests employing a two-entry, two-exit policy to avoid long cues.
Last year, the line for entering the market reached Barangay Pasil, which is more than two kilometers from the market. This led to people violating health protocols while waiting.
This year, the CCPO plans to put up tents so all waiting shoppers can sit patiently outside the market.
This way, the waiting shoppers can stay in their place instead of being tempted to go around.
Ligan said the CCPO will also deploy more police at the Carbon Market to ensure compliance with health protocols.
As for areas frequented by the faithful during the Holy Week, the city government has yet to release guidelines for these.
/bmjo