LOCALLY stranded individuals (LSIs) and authorized persons outside of residence (Apors) bound for Cebu City from Metro Manila are now required to submit a letter of coordination from their respective barangays prior to their arrival at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA).

This is on top of the travel authority needed to be issued by the Philippine National Police (PNP)'s Joint Task Force Covid Shield for LSIs.

For Apors working in government, they need only to secure a mission or travel order signed by the head of the agency, a medical certificate, and a certificate of employment (COE).

Uniformed personnel do not need to present a COE.

Upon their arrival in Cebu City, the City Government requires that the LSIs and private Apors undergo a 14-day quarantine at a facility determined by their barangay of residence in Cebu City.

The LSIs and Apors are also mandated to undergo a real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT -PCR) test on the third to fifth day of their arrival in the city.

The Cebu City Government will shoulder the cost of the swab test.

The LSIs and private Apors may send their requests for a Letter of Coordination at lsimanilacebu@gmail.com or contact the hotline numbers 0945-278-5076 (Globe) or 0961-523-6009 (Smart).

The LSIs and private Apors can also contact their respective barangays at http://bit.ly/CebuCityBarangayDirectory.

Financial aid

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Government has temporarily suspended the distribution of financial assistance for LSIs starting Aug. 28, 2020.

The Cebu City Public Information Office (PIO) in a Facebook post said the City will resume distribution on Sept. 3.

The PIO also said the Department of General Services (DGS) will conduct disinfection of the buses used to ferry the LSIs to and from the Department of Social Welfare and Services.

The DGS personnel will also undergo swab testing to ensure the safety of everyone, the PIO further announced on its Facebook page. (JJL)