Starting Monday private vehicles not allowed in Carbon

CEBU, Philippines — Private vehicles and motorcycles will no longer be allowed to enter Carbon Public Market in Cebu City starting Monday, March 22, six days prior to the Holy Week.

This is part of the security measures for Holy Week as agreed upon by officials of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO), and the Prevention Order Restoration Beautification Enhancement (PROBE).

Vehicles bound for Carbon will be rerouted to Escaño Street near Magallanes Street then to M.C. Briones towards the Senior Citizens’ Park asKawit, El Filibusterismo, Calderon, Plaridel, and F. Gonzales streets will be closed to vehicular traffic.

CCPO Director JosefinoLigan said this is to prevent the influx of people to the Carbon market.

“Private vehicles and motorcycles are banned from entering the market beginning Monday until April 3, 2021. Only delivery/supply trucks are allowed,” he said.

To recall, hundreds of Cebu City residents flocked to the market in April last year to prepare for Easter Sunday even as the city and the rest of the country were under enhanced community quarantine.

A total of 36 personnel from the Carbon Police Station and the CPPO will be deployed in the market to ensure social distancing and other health protocols are strictly observed.

Members of PROBE, Cebu CityEnvironmental Sanitation Enforcement Team (CESET), Task Force Kasaligan, and other force multipliers will help in the enforcement of health and quarantine protocols.

Two buses will be stationed there as temporary holding areas for protocol violators.

“Those who will disregard the health protocols will be arrested and will be locked up in the buses while we process their administrative fine,” said Ligan.

The administrative fine for quarantine violators is at P1000. But violators have an option to render community service in lieu of paying the fine.

CCTO operations chief Erwin Navales said road and sidewalk obstructions will be removed starting today to facilitate a free-flowing vehicular and foot traffic.

“Starting today, we will clear the entire Carbon market from all illegal obstructions,” he said. —KQD (FREEMAN)