Mandaue on Alert Level 3 status: No lockdown, no need to appeal IATF ruling

Lawyer John Eddu Ibañez, executive secretary of Mayor Jonas Cortes, says there will be no lockdown. |Mary Rose Sagarino

MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — The Mandaue City government will not appeal the decision of the InterAgency Task Force (IATF) to place the city under Alert Level 3 from January 14 to January 31, 2022.

Lawyer John Eddu Ibañez, Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes’ executive secretary, also assured today, January 13, 2022, that the city would not implement a lockdown on the city because of the IATF ruling.

Ibañez added the mayor was not keen on implementing lockdown because the city and the entire Cebu were still recovering from the devastation of super typhoon Odette.

He said the city would follow the guidelines set by the IATF regarding the status.

For now, Mandaue is still on Alert Level 2 status.

Cortes in a statement said the city would be focusing on the improvement and making ready the Step-Down Facility across the city hospital.

“Cases are slowly rising which was the trend same as last year. Here in Mandaue, we will be focusing on improving and making ready our Step-Down Facility in case of a surge,” Cortes said.

“Our EOC is in place and is ready for the task ahead. We will also be increasing our vaccination roll-out for 1st, 2nd and booster doses. This will be done together with the accelerated distribution of our rice and water assistance for Typhoon Odette victims,” he said.

“COVID is a problem but not the only problem… we must concentrate our efforts in helping the Mandauehanons recover and get back on their feet,” he added.

Ibañez, for his part, said that the mayor would not appeal the IATF ruling because he had seen the COVID-19 cases rising in the city.

“Si Mayor pagkagahapon, (niingun) there’s no need to appeal kay makita man nato nga nisaka ang kaso. Para sad ni nga mapaus-os nato ang kaso,” said Ibañez.

(The mayor yesterday (said) that there’s no need to appeal because he saw the cases were increasing. This is so that the cases would go down.)

Based on the data from the Department of Health in Central Visayas on Wednesday, January 12, Mandaue has a total of 176 active cases.

Under Alert Level 3, intrazonal and interzonal travel, individual outdoor exercises, going out for essential purposes are allowed.

The activities that are not allowed under Alert Level 3 are the following: 

• Face-to-face classes in basic education

• Contact sports

• Funfairs

• Karaoke bars, clubs, concert halls, theaters

• Casinos

• Horse racing, cockfighting, operation of cockpits, lottery and betting shops and other gaming establishments aside from those that will be allowed by the IATF or the Office of the President

• Social gatherings where individuals do not belong in the same household

Moreover, the allowed activities at a maximum of 30-percent indoor venue capacity for fully vaccinated and 50-percent outdoor capacity are the following:

• Cinemas

• Meetings, conferences, exhibitions

• Social events such as wedding parties, engagements, debut, birthday parties

• Tourist attractions including libraries

• Amusement parks

• Recreational venues

• In-person religious gatherings

• Licensure exams

• Dine-in services

• Personal care services

• Fitness studios, non-contact sports

• Film, music, television production

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