Cebu closes borders, bans foreign flights

CEBU CITY: The entire province of Cebu has been placed under enhanced community quarantine as the threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) intensifies, prompting necessary measures to be put in place.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia confirmed in a press conference Thursday that she issued Executive Order (EO) 5-N, which takes effect immediately.

The EO banned all persons on international flights from entering Cebu starting 12:01 a.m. of March 27.

Passengers, who wish to go out of Cebu will be allowed to travel, while movement of cargoes on all airports and seaports in the province will not be restricted, the EO stated.

The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) declared in a resolution during a special session on Thursday authorizing Garcia to “initiate, take, and carry out any and all appropriate, necessary and other emergency measures in order to promote and protect the health, safety and general welfare of the Cebuanos.”

The resolution also allowed the provincial treasurer to use the province’s calamity funds to support all measures to be implemented by the provincial government.

PB Committee on Public Health Chairman Kerrie Keane Shimura, who authored the resolution, said that Covid-19 continues to threaten the lives, safety and general welfare of residents despite earlier mitigating measures.

Cebu has nine persons under investigation ( PUIs). Their test samples are still being processed at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Manila.

In a separate press briefing, Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella announced that he will close all city borders starting Saturday noon.

Cebu City’s 14 borders will be closed to non-residents, with exception of medical workers, government workers, media, delivery vehicles carrying commodities. Individuals working in the city as pharmacists, food service personnel, and bank personnel will also be allowed access to the city.

Private delivery vehicles for food and commodities are exempted. The city government has vowed to provide free rides for medical professionals and those who will still have to work in the city despite the enhanced community quarantine

Police checkpoints will be established 24 hours a day to ensure the limited movement to and from Cebu City.