CEBU Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia does not agree with the “Bakuna Bubble” approach of the Cebu City Government incentivizing the Covid-19 vaccination program that limits only to vaccinated individuals access to some air-conditioned establishments in Cebu City.
In a press conference held in Boljoon during the Caravan of Provincial Government Services on Sept 16, Garcia said the Bakuna Bubble is not an incentive but punitive to the public, stressing that the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is currently looking into the issue.
Garcia said an incentivized vaccination program is like what the Cebu Province implemented which involves allowing a shortened five-day quarantine period to fully vaccinated returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) arriving in Cebu.
“If we incentivize, (then it should be) like what we did on the possible five days quarantine for the fully vaccinated. That’s an incentive. But I guess now, the DILG is even having that reviewed, that those who are not vaccinated cannot eat indoors. Maybe that’s not incentivizing. That’s punitive. That’s why that’s being reviewed, and I would not (impose that),” Garcia said in a mix of English and Cebuano.
Cebu City’s vaccine bubble refers to the perks given to vaccinated individuals, such as allowing them to dine indoors, access to services in salons and spas, and entry to indoor sports venues and indoor tourist attractions.