MANILA, Philippines — The national government has ordered a temporary ban on locally stranded individuals (LSIs) traveling to and from the cities of Cebu and Talisay as COVID-19 cases in these areas continue to increase.
Police commanders across the country have also been informed to temporarily suspend the issuance of Travel Authority for LSIs going to Cebu City and Talisay City.
Likewise, the Regional Director of Police Regional Office 7, Director of the Cebu City Police Office and his Station Commanders, Provincial Director of Cebu Police Provincial Office, and Chief of Police of Talisay City Police Station were also directed to withhold the issuance of Travel Authority for LSIs within their areas of responsibility.
“As per instruction of SILG (Secretary of the Interior and Local Government) Eduardo Año, the movement of LSIs coming from or going to ECQ (enhanced community quarantine) and MECQ (modified enhanced community quarantine) areas will not be allowed temporarily,” Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, commander of the JTF COVID Shield, said in a statement Saturday.
Eleazar also said Año’s order seeks to give Cebu City and Talisay City local officials time to contain the spread of the virus.
He added that if LSIs will still be allowed to go in and out of areas under ECQ and MECQ, this could impact the strategies being implemented by local officials not only in Cebu City and Talisay City but also in the areas where LSIs coming from the two cities would go.
To recall, President Rodrigo Duterte again placed Cebu City under ECQ due to the high rate of coronavirus infection in the area. Talisay City, meanwhile, was placed under MECQ.