Rama warns establishments: Check vaccination cards or face closure

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama during a press conference on November 29, 2021 | Photo from Cebu City PIO Live Video

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has warned establishments, which have been lax in checking the vaccination cards of customers for services that can only be offered to vaccinated individuals, that they need to shape up or face closure.

“Never lower your guards, always be vigilant. I have received reports that some establishments failed to check and require the presentation of vaccination cards before entry. Be warned, be serious in following this directive, or face closure. We will not take this lightly,” said Rama in a statement.

The mayor’s new directive gives a deadline for all residents and transients to get vaccinated before the year ends as on January 2022, establishments will no longer allow entry to unvaccinated individuals.

Rama said establishments must step up their implementation of the vaccinated-only policy unless they would want to close again because of another surge.

The mayor said the city was never punitive to establishments as much as possible, but the city government could not also allow complacency especially during the holidays and the threat of the Omicron variant looming.

The mayor said that establishments would be given time until the end of the year to implement the policy properly, after which the agencies such as Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) would start strictly monitoring the implementation of the policy.

“We do not want to talk about the penalty because one word is enough for a wise man. Ang importante (What is important is that) we have the convergence group, we will continuously remind them nga ilahang seryosohon ang (that they will seriously implement the policy of the)vaccination card,” said Rama.

The city government is also considering on easing the restrictions next year at least for partially vaccinated individuals whose second doses were scheduled beyond the New Year.

Many of those, who recently got vaccinated, are worried that they would not be able to enter many establishments because they had not gotten their second dose.

Rama said that there could be adjustments made, but he encouraged most to get vaccinated immediately so their second dose could still be inoculated before the New Year.

It takes at least 20 days between shots, which means that those who get vaccinated this week and in the coming days will get their second dose before the year ends.

“We will cross the bridge when we get there,” said Rama on the possibility of easing restrictions for partially vaccinated individuals.

The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) noted that even with the adjusted curfew, they had still apprehended violators. On the first day of the adjusted curfew on December 2, 2021, they apprehended 127 individuals.

These already included 26 minors rescued for violating the curfews. At least 36 others were caught not wearing masks as well.

“Well informed na atong katawhan ani kay gamay ra man sad ang nausab sa atong curfew, from 11:30 to 12 midnight ra nausab,” said Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla.

“Our people are well informed about this because there was only a few changes in our curfew, from 11:30 to 12 midnight.)

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