35 Cebu mayors agree on self-quarantine

Liloan Mayor Christina Frasco conducts a multi-sectoral meeting for COVID-19 prevention with the attendees seated one meter apart. | Photo from Mayor Christina Frasco

CEBU CITY, Philippines — 35 mayors in Cebu have agreed to undergo self-quarantine and practice social distancing following their recent travel to Metro Manila.

Liloan town Mayor Christina Frasco, the president of the Cebu chapter of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), confirmed in a statement that 35 out of the 44 town mayors in Cebu attended the national convention of the league last March 9, 2020, at a hotel in Manila.

Mayor Ferdie Estrella of Baliuag town in Bulacan, who also attended the convention, recently tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“The event on March 9 was held in a 3,000 square meter convention hall of [a Hotel] in Manila and we were assured all health and safety protocols would be taken and duly observed. The Cebu mayors were cautious and we never had any personal contact or physical interaction with Estrella,” Frasco said in a statement issued late night on Wednesday, March 18.

Frasco said that none of the 35 mayors in Cebu manifested any symptoms of COVID-19, nine days since the convention.

“Nonetheless, it is out of an abundance of caution that we have agreed to do enhanced social distancing and self-quarantine,” Frasco said.

“Even prior to finding out about Mayor Estrella’s condition, we already practiced social distancing and some did self-quarantine as we carried out our functions as local chief executives,” she added.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia earlier said she supposedly wanted to meet with the mayors on Friday, March 20, in order to discuss more measures and approach in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the province.

However, the governor said she decided to postpone it and resort to written and electronic communication to relay messages to the mayors in order to avoid risks of exposure.

On Wednesday, the Department of Health has confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in Cebu.

Read more: First confirmed COVID-19 case in Cebu is in Mandaue City

The patient, a senior citizen who recently visited Metro Manila and some cities in Mindanao, is now confined in a private hospital in Mandaue City.

DOH-7 Director Dr. Jaime Bernadas, however, said the patient has already recovered and is now awaiting to be discharged.

“After deliberations over the weekend via electronic means, we have united to adopt Uniform Guidelines for all 44 Municipalities during the State of Public Health Emergency consistent with the issuances of the President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Governor Gwen Garcia,” Frasco said.