Distribution of new passes starts

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City government started distributing the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) passes yesterday.

At least 178,000 passes with quick response (QR) codes are being distributed to strictly implement the “One-ECQ-pass-One-Household” scheme.

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella said the number of passes was based on the list submitted by the barangays. The list was verified through the database of the Department of Health.

He said only one person in a household will be authorized to handle the pass as the name will be placed in the QR pass along with the corresponding QR code number. The pass will also bear the holder’s sitio and barangay.

He said the individuals can only use the QR-coded pass for essential errands. The pass can be used from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“This is to control movement of people outside their homes,” he said.

Also, the mayor said the passes will be distributed house to house, so the residents need only to wait.

The city government expects to finish the distribution in two to three days.

Each barangay will be assigned a QR code, which will also determine the days the residents are allowed to leave their barangay— Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for QR code ending with odd numbers, while Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday for those with even and zero numbers.

No one will be allowed to go out during Sundays except for those who are considered authorized persons outside residence (APOR) and essential workers under the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease guidelines, said City Legal Officer Rey Gealon.

He said frontliners such as health workers, food delivery service, members of media, and those working in the markets, pharmacies and banks, to name a few, are the only ones exempted from the lockdown and do not need passes.

He said authorities manning the checkpoints will scan the QR codes using their cellular phones to check the details of the pass.

Unauthorized holders and those who violate the schedules will be apprehended and will be sued for violating the stay-at-home order or disobedience under Article 915 of the Revised Penal Code.

“The QR code is unique per resident, sitio and barangay,” said Gealon.  KQD (FREEMAN)