Mayor Cortes hoping for a single policy on travel restrictions in Cebu Island
Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes. CDN Digital photo | Mary Rose Sagarino
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes hopes that Cebu Island will have only one policy about travel restrictions.
Due to the surge of COVID-19 cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) which health officials suspect is caused by the more transmissible Omicron variant of the virus, other local government units are thinking of implementing again stricter travel restrictions on passengers coming from the nation’s capital.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he may issue an executive order for the return of negative RT-PCR tests as a requirement for travelers coming from the NCR.
The provincial government has yet to issue its guidelines.
Mandaue City’s domestic travel policy for individuals living outside Cebu Island who would want to enter the city remains.
Fully vaccinated individuals just need to present a vaccination certificate while persons who are not fully vaccinated will be required to present proof of identity and/or proof of essential travel, a negative RT-PCR test result taken within the last 72 hours or a negative antigen test result taken within the last 48 hours before entering the city.
Mayor Jonas Cortes said it is better for Cebu Island to have one policy about travel restrictions.
Cortes said it is difficult for Mandaue to impose stricter restrictions if other LGUs will have different policies because Mandaue is the gateway to Metro Cebu and the Cebu province.
“Mas maayo One Island Policy, kung muingun nga dili pasudlan mas maayo dili pasudlan pero kung mo allow ang province niya mag istrikto ang Cebu City lisod kaayo na for Mandaue considering nga ang Mandaue is the corridor of the province and Metro Cebu so if we do some strict implementation sa boarders it will only create chaos, check point makacreate lang og traffic,” said Cortes.
Cortes said stricter implementation of health protocols may be imposed again in the city.
“Pahugtan, pahimangnuan ang establishments sa allowed capacity, health protocols, roving mo implement sa guidelines set forth by the IATF,” said Cortes.
Cortes said the city’s isolation facilities and step-down facility are always on standby.
The Mayor is encouraging residents to always be careful, follow health protocols, and get inoculated against COVID-19 if still unvaccinated. /rcg
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