For Those Exempted: Work ID Enough to Cross Borders

Those who are allowed to enter the Province of Cebu from Cebu City only need to show their work identification (ID) cards to checkpoint personnel; no more need for quarantine or vehicle passes.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia clarified this in a press conference on Monday, March 30, the first day of the implementation of the Province’s enhanced community quarantine.

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella earlier announced that no quarantine pass is needed for those who are includes in the exemptions and wish to enter the city.

However, the governor clarified that only those included in the list of exemptions stated in the Executive Order (EO) No. 5-O Section 15, which prohibits the entry of any person to the province, can cross the borders.

“Di na mo kinahanglan og quarantine pass aron mo makasulod sa dakbayan sa Sugbo. Apan inig ka human sa imung trabaho kay mubalik ka ngadto sa Talisay City, imung ipakita imung work ID nga gi-issue sa hospital diin ka nagtrabaho, mao ra kana ang gipangayo gikan kanimo, mao ra kana ang ipakita,” she stressed.

Included in the border exemptions are doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff and personnel; national and local government officials and authorized personnel; judges, the ombudsman, prosecutors and their skeletal workforce; and members of Philippine Red Cross on official functions.

Also exempted are accredited media personnel; field personnel of utility companies such as the Visayan Electric Company, Metropolitan Cebu Water District, and telecommunications network; all energy-related workforce; bank and money transfer establishment officials and employees; and delivery personnel of vehicles with cargo and essential goods.

Persons with pre-existing conditions in need of treatment in a medical facility can also freely cross the borders between Cebu Province and Cebu City.

Moreover, Garcia clarified that essential establishments allowed to do business despite the effectivity a lockdown are those that sell food and medicines like supermarkets, groceries, pharmacies, and convenience stores, among others.

The governor requested establishment owners to provide an accommodation for their employees that reside in the Province but have to report to work in Cebu City.

The same goes for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies as well where city accommodations for employees, reduction of in-person workforce and work-at-home arrangements were encouraged.

Garcia stated that this measure is done for the protection of the people in the province as these employees may become carriers of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) virus.

The governor also assured an unimpeded delivery of cargos and basic essentials in Cebu, adding that local government units (LGUs) will issue cargo vehicle pass to cargo and delivery companies while applying for the passes to be issued by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Department of Agriculture (DA).

“Aron magpadayon ang delivery sa supplies of basic necessities and essentials, ato gihukman for the time being nga ang LGU mo-issue niining cargo vehicle pass. But of course, kaning companies mu apply gyud sa DTI and DA,” she explained.

At 12:01AM of March 30, 2020, Cebu Province closed its borders on Cebu City to prevent the spread of the pandemic to the rest of the Cebu towns and cities.

Seven borders are in Mandaue City for the north, two borders in Talisay City for the south, and one in Balamban town for the west.

“We will have to institute these measures, pre-emptive ni, unahan nato. Dili kay maghuwat ta, mao na strikto na kaayo ang paggawas sa Cebu City kay dinhi ang nagka-daghan na nga cases,” she said in a press conference on Sunday, March 29.

As of this writing, there are 20 positive COVID-19 cases in Cebu City, one in Mandaue City, and two in Lapu-Lapu City. Meanwhile, two positive cases have been recorded for Cebu Province: in Cordova town and Talisay City. (SN)