Cebu City gov’t releases guidelines under GCQ

(Eagle News) — The Cebu City government has released guidelines under its general community quarantine, which is still in place starting Aug. 16.

Under the guidelines contained in Executive Order No. 088 signed by Mayor Edgar Labella on Saturday, Aug. 15, the stay-at-home order is maintained, except for those working in permitted industries.

The guidelines said the stay-at-home order does not apply to the following:

  • medical practitioners, hospital staff, nurses, and health volunteers for the purpose of rendering medical assistance and/or service
  • emergency personnel
  • all authorized national and local government officials/employees
  • drivers and personnel of delivery vehicles carrying all types of cargo
  • accredited media personnel
  • farmers, fishermen and agribusiness personnel
  • persons who seek medical attention or who are already admitted in any medical facility, provided that only one companion shall be allowed
  • employees of exempted establishments
  • such other persons as may be authorized by the mayor or his duly authorized representative

No hotels or accommodation establishments shall be allowed to operate except those accommodating foreigners as of May 1, 2020, guests who have existing long-term bookings, distressed Overseas Filipino Workers and stranded Filipinos or foreign nationals, repatriated OFWs in compliance with approved quarantine protocols, non-OFWs who may be required to undergo mandatory facility-based quarantine, and healthcare workers and other employees from exempted establishments.

Such accommodation establishments may operate only upon the issuance of a certificate of authority to operate by the Department of Tourism provided that the services are limited to accommodation services given by a skeleton workforce, the guidelines said.

Restaurants and cafes may operate at 30 percent capacity provided they follow social distancing guidelines strictly.

All public and private construction projects shall also be allowed but only in strict compliance with the guidelines issued by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Apart from Cebu City, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Talisay City, and the towns of Minglanilla and Consolacion in Cebu province will remain under the GCQ starting August 16.

Batangas, Nueva Ecija, Quezon province, and Iloilo City are also under the community quarantine with further eased restrictions.

The President is expected to announce the quarantine classification of Metro Manila, Laguna, Rizal, Cavite and Bulacan on Monday, Aug. 17.

The rest of the country, on the other hand, is under a modified GCQ starting Aug. 16 until the end of the month.

The modified GCQ is the “new normal.”