Mayor Junard Chan on Thursday said mass gatherings here will need a permit from the city government to ensure that minimum health and safety protocols will strictly be observed.

Chan issued this statement amid a rise in the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in this tourist island city.

The city will require permits for groups to conduct activities that will involve many people.

With this policy, the City Hall or the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office will send personnel to watch over the activity and impose health protocols such as wearing a mask, physical distancing, and hand-washing during the gathering.

The mayor said all gatherings must comply with the 50 percent maximum capacity of the venue and drinking outside the home is still strictly prohibited.

He added that city hall workers are now tapped to issue citation tickets to residents who will get caught violating minimum health protocols.

“If you are not wearing a facemask, no need dad-on ka sa (for you to be brought to the) detention cell hasol na kayo puno na pud (that adds hassle, and cells are full), we will issue a citation (ticket),” Chan said in a statement.

Village peace and security officers and the police have long been over-burdened since the beginning of the pandemic.

The mayor said those who will opt to do community service instead of the PHP1,000 fine will be asked to choose a date, time, and place to serve.

The Department of Health (DOH)-Central Visayas case bulletin, as of Wednesday, reported there were 65 new Covid-19 cases with one death and 30 new recoveries reported in the city bringing the total number of its active cases to 882 and 124 deaths.

It now has 3,327 recoveries, which is 77 percent of the total of 4,333 cases since March 2020. (PNA)