Protocol violators to face arrest — Rama

CEBU, Philippines — “Let them know we mean business.”

This was acting Mayor Michael Rama’s marching order to the police as far as enforcement of health protocols in the city is concerned amid the new surge in COVID-19 cases.

Rama has directed Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) director Col. Josefino Ligan to deploy police personnel to enforce health protocols down to the sitio level.

“Ayaw ninyo hagita ang kapolisan because my marching order to the police, please do not challenge the authority, you will get arrested. Nothing to be afraid if you will just follow,” Rama said.

He explained that everybody should understand that the key to winning the fight against COVID-19 is to deny the virus of a host.

“At our end, what everybody should understand, kung mahimo puyo tanan sa balay so that gamay lang movement. Unsay mahitabo? Gamay ang transmission,” he said.

Rama said residents can go outside of their respective houses for essential purposes only and practice “freedom with responsibility.”

The city is currently under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) status from August 1 to 15. Rama, however, appealed before the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) to downgrade the classification to modified general community quarantine (MGCQ). The national task force has yet to rule on the appeal as of last night.

Rama said the city is in “no hurry” and is willing to wait until the IATF rules on its appeal.

“Wa ta magdali. Wa gyud. The data now is coming out and I'm just going to check what is going to unfold, unravel sa pila kaadlaw gikan karon,” said Rama.

“Now kung ilang i-grant, then we'll look at it and then again no lowering of our guards gihapon. That is my stand,” he added.

Earlier, the IATF placed the entire Cebu island under MECQ from August 1 to 15 but the Cebu Province had appealed the decision. The IATF granted Cebu Province’s appeal and is now under GCQ albeit with “heightened restrictions” for the first half of August.

Per the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) data, Cebu City recorded 413 new COVID-19 cases on August 1, 2021 bringing the total active cases to 2,754. Rama said the city will continue to be aggressive in its COVID-19 response.

“The most important thing, let's make use (of) this two weeks to address all that are necessities, so that when it will happen, at least we know that we are deserving of the improvement of the level,” he said.

Meanwhile, City Health officer-in-charge Dr. Jeffrey Ibones said that the city is intensifying its efforts in expanding its facilities and addressing the lack of medical manpower.

In order to lessen the load of the hospitals which were reportedly now in high occupancy rate, a total of four cluster clinics located in Sawang Calero, Don Vicente Rama Memorial Elementary School, Tinago and the Cebu Medical Society (CMS) will be established to cater those who were experiencing Influenza-like Illness (ILI).

"Ang Don Vicente Rama [Memorial Elementary School] ready na gyud, ato nalang ni butangan og kining personnel. Unya ang atoang Tinago, we will talk to the barangay captain pa," said Ibones.

An additional 100 Job Order (JO) nurses will also be assigned to Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) and Cebu City Quarantine Center (CCQC).

For the mega stay-in facility at the Cebu City Sports Complex (CCSC) that is set to open this week, the City Health Department (CHD) has already assigned one doctor and 10 nurses for the meantime.

Another 10 nurses will also be assigned to man the additional ambulances, in relation to Councilor David Tumulak's resolution to tap the assistance of barangay-owned ambulances to help in responding to emergency calls or COVID-19 related emergencies. — Dianah Rule Salinguhay, CNU Intern, FPL (FREEMAN)