Mayor Edgardo Labella has declared a one-month state of enhanced community quarantine in this city, even without a single case of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Under Executive Order (EO) no. 064, this city will start locking down on Saturday noon (March 28) until April 28, 2020.
A mandatory stay at home order will be imposed on all residents in the city while movement outside their residences will be allowed only for the basic necessities, Labella said.
Exempted from the stay at home order are medical practitioners, emergency personnel, authorized national and local personnel, drivers of delivery cargoes, construction workers authorized by the city government, accredited media, farmers, fishermen, and agri-business personnel, as well as person seeking medical attention.
Labella said all businesses and hotels will be closed during the one-month enhanced community quarantine or until sooner lifted.
“We have to do this for the safety of everyone,“ he told reporters upon announcing the issuance of the EO.
However, exempted establishments that will be allowed to operate for 24 hours are hospitals, medical clinics, laboratories, pharmacies, drug stores, gasoline stations, cargo handlers, forwarders, shipping lines, truckers, container yards, water, electricity, cable and telecommunication companies.
Funeral parlors, establishments manufacturing medical supplies and its materials and components as well as establishments rendering delivery services, transporting food, medicine, and other necessities are allowed to continue serving their patrons.
Labella also ordered the granting of limited operating hours until 8 p.m. for food establishments providing take-out orders, food manufacturers and suppliers, public markets, supermarkets, groceries, bakeshops, convenience stores, water refilling stations, veterinary clinic, animal feed suppliers, banks and money transfers, hardware stores, delivery and courier services, dealers or suppliers of agricultural products other commodities and laundry services.
A skeletal workforce is allowed to operate in exempted establishments, but have to implement social distancing and provide transportation for the workers.
The EO also directed exempted establishments to implement temperature checks, wearing of face masks, and regular disinfection in the vicinity of each establishment.
“No more new bookings for hotel and existing booking on March 26 and long-term leases are allowed,” he said.
All land-based vehicle operations are temporarily suspended with the exemption of private vehicles and motorcycles buying food, basic commodities, and medicines, as well as emergency vehicles and authorized government cars.
Among the local government units in Cebu province, only Mandaue City has one positive case of Covid-19. (PNA)
