MAYOR Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas announced Tuesday, August 17, that Talisay will allow leisure biking but only for its residents while the city is under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
The announcement, posted on Gullas’ Facebook account, came as the mayor’s response to Talisay City Police Chief Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare’s concern that bikers have reportedly been overcrowding in Camp 4 and Manipis during weekends.
Gullas said he met with Pelare Tuesday, August 17, but he stressed that under the Inter-Agency Task Force’s (IATF) guidelines, leisure biking is allowed as long as the minimum health protocols are observed.
He stressed though that leisure biking in Talisay will only be allowed for those who are living in the city to prevent possible “overcrowding in areas of convergence” in Manipis.
“Ang Cebu City wala na musugot og leisure biking sa syudad, so possible kaayo na ari na sila mang bike sa Talisay, which will cause overcrowding napud in areas of convergence nato sa Manipis route,” he said.
“Usually adto na sa Camp 4 bridge, adto ni Isay ug didto babaw na sa Manipis. So for Talisay residents lang sa for the duration of the MECQ,” he added.
He warned, though, that if health protocols are not met by the bikers themselves, the City will be forced to review its protocols.
“But be warned, if daghan na pud reports sa magtapok-tapok along Manipis and Camp 4 next weekend, I will have no choice but to follow the police's recommendation and temporarily close the barangays from bikers,” Gullas said.
He also said that leisure biking is a form of exercise, which is “needed to stay in shape and for us to have some sort of activity that will put our stress away from Covid-19.”
“For me, biking is a good way to live a healthy lifestyle amidst this pandemic. But if it becomes a source of nuisance especially now that we are trying to minimize our Covid-19 cases, then it’s a different story,” said Gullas.
He said Cebu City bikers are allowed to enter Talisay if they are “biking to work in Talisay.” They just need to show their identification card, he added.
He appealed to the public to follow the minimum health protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19. (LMY)