Quarantine passes
Both Cebu City and Metro Manila require a quarantine pass for those going out of homes and residences during MECQ (modified enhanced) in Manila and GCQ (general) in Cebu City.
Metro Manila, earlier placed under general quarantine or GCQ, was shifted by President Rodrigo Duterte to the harsher MECQ after a large group of doctors and nurses petitioned the President for a "timeout" or "break" from the pressure of an overwhelmed health care system. They blamed the surge of infections in Manila to the easing of restrictions. The health workers asked for an ECQ for Metro Manila but were granted the next stiff quarantine status, MECQ.
Cebu City, bearing criticism for the July 16-31 return to ECQ, was glad over the transition to GCQ but Mayor Edgar Labella chose to keep the quarantine pass to help keep more people inside their homes and prevent any new surge of infections. The IATF, through DILG chief Eduardo Año, had made it clear that CQ passes would no longer be necessary under GCQ.
Both Cebu City under GCQ and Metro Manila under MECQ require quarantine passes. What's the difference?
In Cebu City, the mayor chooses the option given to local chief executives to require CQ passes or not. And Labella chose to continue using them from August 1 to 15.
In Metro Manila, the local government is required to use CQ passes. It is part of the IATF order approved by Duterte.
In both cases, the national government, through the president and IATF, exercises the authority. But in localities under GCQ, the local chief executive is delegated the power to decide on the use or non-use of CQ passes.
Steve Osmeña passes away
Esteban "Steve" Osmeña, a brother of former Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and former senator Serge Osmeña III, died five days ago, a broadcaster knowledgeable about the Osmeña family told Bzzzzz Tuesday, August 4.
Steve was third of five children to Sergio "Serging" Osmeña Jr., the former senator, city mayor and provincial governor, and Lourdes de la Rama-Osmeña. Steve, said to be a businessman based in Manila, was younger than "Serge" III, and Ma. Victoria "Minnie," and older than Tomas and Georgia. Tomas turned 72 last July 26.
A non-politician but...
Steve was the only non-politician among the three Osmeña brothers. But records show Steve ran for senator in 1992.
Sonny, who landed #24, filed a protest against Freddie Webb, who finished #12, arguing that he, Osmeña, should have the basketball celebrity's spot since his cousin Steve's candidacy took away 1.8 million votes from Sonny. However, the senator withdrew his protest in March 1993.
Had Sonny pursued the protest and won, he would've been allotted six years, instead of three. (In 1992, the second election after the Senate was restored by the 1987 Constitution, 24 senators were elected, with the first 12 getting the highest number of votes to serve six years and the second highest vote-getters of 12, serving only three years.)
After their mother Lourdes died in Bacolod City on November 6, 2011, she was buried at the Osmeña mausoleum in Barangay Tejero, Cebu City, gathering the children and the rest of the Osmeña clan to Cebu. A newspaper account said Steve arrived late at the funeral mass, entering the church at the side door while the priest was delivering the homily. He had intentionally skipped the eulogy preceding the mass. He couldn't go through one, he told a news reporter.
Meager record of Steve
Steve was apparently the least known among the children of Serging Osmeña. News archives show little about Steve, not even his age and other personal circumstances. Unlike Tomas and Serge or even the sisters Minnie and Georgia.
Steve's passing away has not yet been publicly announced. A Bzzzzz's informant cannot say whether the famous Osmeña's brother died of Covid-19, some other illness, or some disease brought on or complicated by coronavirus.
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