CEBU Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia has ordered the lifting of localized lockdowns that were not authorized by her office and the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (RIATF).
Garcia also ordered all barangays to remove checkpoints and barriers in all sitios and puroks.
Local officials were further instructed to allow overseas Filipino workers who have complied with all requirements to pass through checkpoints.
These directives are contained in a memorandum that Garcia issued Wednesday, June 17, 2020.
It was not known how many sitios, puroks and barangays in the province are under a lockdown, which requires all residents, except essential personnel and frontliners, to stay at home.
In her memorandum, Garcia reminded all municipal officials to observe the protocol for the imposition of quarantine restrictions.
”Relative thereto, no barangay, purok, or sitio shall be declared under an Enhanced Community Quarantine states or lockdown without the imprimatur of the Governor and the concurrence of the Regional IATF,” she stated.
Garcia has objected to the imposition of a lockdown in a community with only one infected household.
Among the reasons she cited is the lack of funds to provide social amelioration to an entire barangay.
Based on the guidelines issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Executive Order 112 of President Rodrigo Duterte, a governor is authorized to impose, lift or extend community quarantine in component cities and municipalities with concurrence by the RIATF.
But the imposition of a localized lockdown comes with the responsibility of providing the residents with food and other necessities.
Cebu Province, except Talisay City, remains under general community quarantine (GCQ) until June 30. Talisay is under modified enhanced community quarantine, which imposes more stringent restrictions. / ANV