This was how Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia described the resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases placing Cebu Province—except nine local government units (LGUs): cities of Naga and Talisay, and municipalities of Alcoy, Borbon, Oslob, Pilar, Poro, Santander and Tudela—under Alert Level 2 until April 30, 2023.
IATF Resolution 6-C approved on April 14 has worried some business leaders in Cebu, as it could affect their daily operations if Covid-19-related restrictions were imposed.
Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Charles Kenneth Co told SunStar Cebu on Monday, April 24 that the IATF’s declaration may curtail the business sector’s recovery.
“Having to curtail businesses will be counterproductive to our recovery efforts which is also reeling from high interest and inflation,” Co said.
“Sick individuals should just be advised to stay home and wear masks when going out,” he added.
Separately, Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu Inc. president Alfred Reyes said whatever the decision of the local chief executives, they will follow.
In a press conference Monday, Garcia said the Provincial Government will not implement the restrictions stipulated for LGUs under the Alert Level 2 status.
“That is something of old. We have moved on. As I stated, Cebu Province has moved on. [We have] move[d] forward earlier than all the others (LGUs), and now we intend to soar to even greater heights,” she said.
Some restrictions include allowing establishments a “maximum of 50 percent indoor venue capacity for fully vaccinated individuals and those below 18 years of age, even if unvaccinated, and 70 percent outdoor venue capacity,” according to the Department of Health (DOH), the IATF’s lead agency.
The nine LGUs under Cebu Province, and the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue are under Alert Level 1.
Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera said the city has “nothing to be alarmed of, nothing to panic [about], nothing to be worried about” with the IATF’s latest pronouncement.
The City will also not implement restrictions, Garganera said.
Under Alert Level 1, travel is allowed “without regard to age and comorbidities,” and “all establishments, persons or activities, are allowed to operate, work or be undertaken at full on-site or venue/seating capacity provided it is consistent with minimum public health standards,” according to the DOH.
In a statement Monday, the DOH said the areas placed under Alert Level 2 “were not escalated from Alert Level 1. Rather, these have maintained their Alert Level 2 status since June 2022.”
The DOH said the Alert Level 2 status also does not mean Covid-19 cases are on the rise in these areas.
“While these areas have reached low risk classifications for cases and utilization rates, these have vaccination rates lower than 70 percent of the target total population and/or 70 percent of the total A2 population (senior citizens). Meeting these targets will allow these areas to be de-escalated to Alert Level 1,” the DOH said. (PAC, EHP, TPM, JJL)