No lockdown after elections

CEBU, Philippines — People found spreading information that Cebu City will be locked down after the elections will face charges for peddling false information, police said.

"We are monitoring this, kung kinsa nang mga mupakatap og istorya, nag-post sa social media nga naay lockdown after election… that is part of the police nga monitoring kung asa ni gikan," said Lt. Col. Wilbert Parilla, Deputy Director for Operations of the Cebu City Police Office.

He said they have been receiving reports of people spreading the information online.

“Kaning ing-ani nga mga taho, ato ipahimangno sa atong katawhan nga dili sad nila i-share kay giklaro naman ni sa EOC," Parilla said.

Councilor Joel Garganera, head of the city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), assured that a lockdown because of COVID-19 is not happening, especially that the city is experiencing is ‘best’ COVID situation, so far.

“No lockdown… we are 100% sure of that,” Garganera told reporters in a press conference.

He called on those spreading the false information to stop.

“Undanga na palihug na ninyo. Mas maayo pa atong i-enjoy ang atong Alert Level 1 status kay ato ra ba gyud ning gihaguan tanan,” Garganera said.

Vaccination

He said he understands the fear of a post-election surge just like what happened in India. The difference, he said, is that Cebu City residents are now vaccinated against COVID-19.

“Sama sa India, human sa election sa May… tinuod, nisaka, nag-lockdown, but ang ilang vaccination, three percent ra ato nga time… di na nimo mapareha sa dakbayan sa sugbu nga nilapas na sa targeted general population. Sa seniors alone, 85% vaccinated or 81,000 na nagpabakuna,” Garganera said.

He said they, at EOC, could not help but feel bad hearing about insinuations the city would lock down, considering the hard work they have put in to bring the city to the new normal.

“Para nako, dako kaayong ni siyang binuang… Dako kaayo ni siyang kasagmuyo diri sa among end sa EOC, diri sa vaccination nga, for the longest time, we’ve been fighting this COVID unya niabot na lang ta’g Alert Level 1, pinakauna sa Region 7… in almost two months that we’ve been enjoying the lowest Alert Level 1… unya gipakatap ning ing-ani,” Garganera said.

Garganera said the last time the city implemented granular lockdown was in August 2020. At that time, vaccines were not available yet.

“Wala pay bakuna mga tao ana… that’s almost two years na unya karon na hinoon magpakanap og mga balita sama niana nga grabe na atong bakuna… gani, wala man gani kita naka-experience bisan pagsaka man lang og gamay sa COVID cases taliwala sa daghang political rallies and gatherings that are attended by tens and hundreds of thousands,” he said.

COVID-19 situation

As of May 5, Cebu City only has 27 active cases with 62 of its 80 barangays without transmission.

“We have zero case for today. Only 27 active cases and 62 barangays have no reported transmission. By far, we have the best COVID situation for this year,” Garganera said.

Last April, Cebu City was also able to keep its cases low with only three Covid-19 deaths noted.

“April COVID numbers were very good. We were and are still, to present, in an outbreak manageable state. We manage to bring down and sustained daily confirmed positive cases in a single digit. There were days when confirmed positive cases were zero while the highest recorded was eight cases in a day. This was 0.1% of the cases when we had the Omicron outbreak. Our hospital occupancy rate is very low at 0-2% compared to the overly overflowing patients in the past three months,” Garganera said.

Based on EOC’s monitoring, the city’s numbers do not indicate an increase in cases soon.

“Today, as we continue to monitor and keep track of our COVID status, we haven’t seen any statistical indicator that cases will increase very soon. Let us enjoy Alert Level 1 with responsibility; continue vaccination; maintain, and strictly self-implement our minimum health standards. We at the Emergency Operations Center do not hope for a surge but in case numbers will rise, the EOC is always ready,” Garganera said.

Parilla echoed Garganera’s reminder for religious observance of minimum health protocols, especially on May 9 when people converge at schools to vote.

"Bisan busy ta sa election, ato gihapon na gi-implement… every time nga daghan ta og activities, labi na og dahan nga tapok, especially karon sa election, sa mga campaign rallies, we always remind the public sa health protocols," Parilla said.

He said the presence of policemen at polling centers will ensure that health protocols are observed on election day. — Caecent No-ot Magsumbol, Decemay P. Padilla/JMO (FREEMAN)