Cebu, Bohol Provinces Gear up for ASEAN Summit Meetings Next Month

The provinces of Cebu and Bohol in the Visayas will host some of the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit meetings from April 3 to 22.

The ASEAN Summit meetings in Cebu will take place on April 3 to April 7, while the meetings in Bohol will be on April 18 to 22.

The local organizing committees in the two provinces said preparations are underway to ensure the success of the meetings.

The preparations include the Department of Health-Region 7 (DOH-7) and the Police Regional Office-7 (PRO-7).

Dr. Expedito Medalla, head of Taskforce Medical of DOH 7, said medical staff in all hospitals in Central Visayas will be put on Code White alert starting March 28 until April 25.

A Code White alert requires all doctors and nurses in hospitals to be ready for any emergencies.

Medalla said 31 medical personnel would also be on standby in the different venues and hotels in Cebu and Bohol where the ministers, senior officials and the technical working group would be having their meetings.

Chief Supt. Noli Talino, PRO-7 director, said they are considering another cell site shutdown as part of the security measures for the ASEAN Summit meetings in Cebu and Bohol.

Some cell sites in Cebu City and Lapu-Lapu City were temporarily shut down during the Sinulog Grand Parade and the swimwear competition of the 2017 Miss Universe Pageant in January this year.

Talino said they are considering all possible scenarios, including terrorism attacks, security threats and the possible shutting down of telecommunication signals during the summit.

But Talino said the shutdown of telecommunications signals would depend on the security situation during the ASEAN Summit meetings. (PNA)/EB/SSC