Bartering activities temporarily halted
THE almost 250,000-strong Cebu Barter Community (CBC) has temporarily suspended its bartering operations on June 16, 2020, the day Cebu City was reverted to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
Bong Abela, president of CBC, told SunStar Cebu that this is to protect their members as well as other delivery parties involved in bartering.
“This is in compliance with the government’s mandate,” he said.
In a statement, CBC expressed that its number one priority is safety.
“From the beginning, the admins of CBC have been very clear that our number one priority is the safety of our members. It is because of this that we discourage meet-ups among the members. However, we know that we do not have any control with the negotiations between the bartering parties. In addition, even the drivers of the delivery services are not immune to the virus,” the statement said.
As this progressed, Abela said they are being concerned citizens and assured they will continue engaging their members.
“We will still sustain our operations but we discourage bartering. Now, we are focusing on how we can use our voice as a community to help the government in the Covid-19 response,” he said.
He said when better scenarios will come where people can be allowed to go out, bartering activities will resume.
“We won’t compromise safety. We even received feedback where some members appreciated the move we took when Cebu City was reverted back to ECQ,” he said.
The suspension of bartering activities is CBC’s way of helping the city recover from the pandemic and proof that they are one with the government’s Heal as One campaign.
The CBC urged all members to stay at home and to adopt preventive measures against Covid-19.
“We are Iooking forward that we will resume our activities at the right time as we transition to the new normal so we can continue bartering in a more healthy environment,” CBC said.
Of all the cities in the country, only Cebu City was reverted to ECQ status after Covid-19 cases continued to rise. (JOB)