IN the days before the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), you would relate border control to something United States President Donald Trump would say or do.
Never did we think of our country as having borders, except to emphasize our ownership of the West Philippine Sea in the controversy with China.
But national and local reports on the threat of the spread of the Covid-19 mention border control in the same breath as the health officials’ recommendation for people to stay at home, distance or isolate themselves.
With the spread of the disease, the government had to trace a line to identify borders between cities, provinces and regions and to enforce rules to prevent encroachment.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia has said that, starting 12:01 a.m. on Monday, March 30, 2020, Cebu Province will close its borders to Cebu City in a move to prevent the spread of the Covid-19. People in Cebu City would no longer enter the province’s borders which are Mandaue City in the north, Talisay City in the south and Balamban town in the west.
Before that, the governor had limited entry into the entire Cebu from other provinces and from other countries. With the enhanced community quarantine to take effect Monday, the circle within the circle has been demarked.
The border between the province and Cebu City may be unguarded for the most part, but there would be checkpoints run by the military and the police.
The same exemptions to an enhanced community quarantine would apply, such as allowing medical and emergency personnel and frontliners easy crossing. But for most of the residents, crossing borders would be hampered as authorities implement stay-at-home orders.
With the identification of borders, people should not forget how we remain as one and that we share the same frustrations and ambitions.
As Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle said when he led the healing prayers of the world in the Vatican last March 25, let us adhere to physical distancing without eliminating “community caring.”
Tagle preferred to use the term “physical distancing” instead of “social distancing” being pushed by those leading the battle against the disease to emphasize that people should remain connected to each other although physically apart.
Tagle was a former Manila archbishop and is now the Prefect of Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in Vatican City.
He said the people should keep their bonds with each other, with neighbors, despite the health measures. “We need physical distancing and that is needed and we’re appealing to everyone to observe it where possible. Physical distancing should not lead to forgetfulness of neighbor,” he said.
The physical distancing should not lead to social distancing, Tagle added. The World Health Organization last week also changed its use of “social distancing” into “physical distancing.”
The same goes for the imposition of borders within the whole of Cebu. While the division is there, we remain as Cebuanos.