Cyclists practice at the Il Corso grounds at the South Road Properties in Cebu City in this photo taken April 27, 2021. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Leisure biking and jogging are expected to be allowed in Cebu City as soon as a new Executive Order (EO) is released by the city government.
This after the national government’s anti-COVID task force approved the recommendations to downgrade the quarantine status of Cebu City from Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) from September 8 to September 30, 2021.
READ: IATF downgrades quarantine statuses of Cebu tri-cities
Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), clarified on Tuesday, September 7, that although leisure biking and jogging is allowed under GCQ guidelines, these will only be officially allowed once an EO is issued by the city government.
As of this posting, the city government has yet to release a new EO.
Leisure biking and jogging were prohibited last August 16 under the acting mayor Mike Rama’s EO 137, or Oplan Puyo 8-15-30, which encouraged people to stay at home due to the increasing threat of COVID-19 unless there are essential activities that needed to be done outside while under MECQ.
READ: Leisure biking, jogging outdoors prohibited in Cebu City for the next two weeks
READ: Cebu City cyclists ‘unhappy’ but promise to comply with 2-week break from leisure biking
Parilla also clarified that biking, jogging and exercising in groups will still be prohibited.
“Atong klarohon nga bisag og nag GCQ ta, magpadayun gihapon ang atoang strikto nga implementation sa atoang ordinansa. Duna lang tay uban nga mga giusab, considering na it is already allowed during GCQ just like sa mga sports,” Parilla said.
(We would like clarify that even if we are already under GCQ, we still continue to strictly implement our ordinance. We have a few adjustments considering that these are already allowed during GCQ just like sports.)
Warning on road rage incidents
Meanwhile, Parilla warned cyclists about road rage incidents involving bikers.
He said cycling activities will be put to a stop should there be any case of road rage incidents involving cyclists.
Just recently, two road rage incidents involving cyclists in the neighboring city of Mandaue went viral.
The first happened along AS Fortuna Street in Barangay Banilad while the latest happened in Barangay Alang-Alang.
Jogging, meanwhile, is allowed as long as protocols are properly observed, Parilla said.
“Pwede nasad mag jogging. For example sa Ayala nga area, sa plaza, but it is limited only for jogging. Di ka pwede nga mag standby…mag picnic,” he said.
(Jogging is already allowed. For example in Ayala area, in plaza, it is limited only for jogging. You are not allowed to stay there and have a picnic.)
Parilla, however, said that liquor ban and the implementation of curfew hours from 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. remains in the city.
READ: CCPO chief to push for continued implementation of curfew, liquor ban
He also added that carolling activities are not allowed in Cebu City at the moment.
/bmjo