Mayor appeals for “calm, understanding”
(Eagle News)–The Cebu City government has canceled all quarantine passes issued to its residents, after President Rodrigo Duterte lamented what he said was the continued rise in COVID-19 cases in Cebu.
Mayor Edgar Labella said the decision was made upon the recommendation of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, a day after the President ordered Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu to go to Cebu and assess the COVID-19 response there.
“This drastic measure was put in place after an Inter-Agency Task Force team went around the city earlier today and still found many people out of their homes,” Labella said.
In a video message uploaded on Tuesday night, Labella appealed for “calm and understanding,” but noted everyone had a “common goal, which is to save our community from this pandemic.”
He said he would inform residents about how to get the new quarantine pass in the coming days, noting that he would have a meeting with concerned agencies today.
“We will work to ease this transition as part of efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19,” Labella said.
On Monday, President Duterte noted what he said was the Cebuanos’ slow response to the COVID-19 virus, which has so far infected over 31000 in the country.