Cebu Province will shift to general community quarantine (GCQ) on May 20
Mayors of the 44 towns and 7 cities of the Province of Cebu gathered yesterday in Balamban for a six-hour meeting called by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia where protocols, standards and guidelines to be observed within the province for the transition to GCQ were deliberated.
Under the GCQ, residents of Cebu Province will still be required to follow social distancing measures, wearing of face masks and use of gloves, constant handwashing, placing footbaths along entry areas, and other public health regulations will still be in place.
Travel within the province will also be allowed, including to and from Bantayan Island and the Camotes group of islands. Mini-buses / buses, tricycles and pedicabs will now be allowed to operate during the GCQ subject to LTFRB regulations and rules on strict physical distancing, limited passenger capacity, regular disinfection and sanitation. E-bikes and trisikads are allowed to operate but they are prohibited from entering major thoroughfares. Habal-habal will still not be allowed to ply the roads during the GCQ.
However, operation of leisure establishments and recreation centers such as bars, karaoke bars, pubs, sports facilities, fitness gyms, swimming pools, moviehouses, cockpits, among others is still prohibited under the GCQ.
Residents of Cebu Province can now jog or walk for exercise outside their homes only from 6am to 9am and 5pm to 9pm provided they wear face masks and observe social distancing.
Since strict border control measures will remain during the GCQ, residents can only go to the beach, river or any swimming area within their own town or city to swim but only for “health purposes.” from 8am to 1pm.
Governor Garcia and the Mayors agreed that residents cannot easily cross borders within the Province unless they are a frontliner or an essential worker. Quarantine passes earlier issued for each household will still be used.
Businesses and establishments that are allowed to operate under GCQ shall strictly observe curfew hours. Each establishment
must have hand sanitizers and other disinfectants for their customers at all times. LGU will impose revocation of business permit to any establishment caught violating the order.
Suspension of classes in the province will continue and will only resume in compliance with the guidelines issued by the Department of Education.
Meanwhile, Talisay City and Mandaue City requested the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to retain its ECQ status pending results of the swab tests conducted on persons identified in their contact tracing.
