BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The local government unit of Tabuelan town in Cebu province banned all roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) and passenger ferry vessels originating from Negros Island and Iloilo from entering local ports.
This restriction, according to Mayor Raul Gerona, aims to avert massive transmission of virus SARS-CoV-2, which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
His executive order for the sea trip ban took effect yesterday and shall remain in effect until revoked or lifted.
Gerona in his directive tasked the military, police and coast guard to enforce the travel ban.
He pointed out that Tabuelan is a fourth-class municipality that relies on its share from the Internal Revenue Allotment.
“Personnel, resources, and the health services of his municipality had been gravely affected when their Rural Health Physician had been recalled by the Department of Health (DOH) for security reasons,” the mayor said.
With this development, Gerona said the situation hampered the services of the DOH in the town, especially in the testing of persons coming in and out of Tabuelan.
To recall, Gerona also issued an executive order last month banning passenger sea trips, although it was later lifted in order to allow locally stranded individuals to be able to cross to Negros Occidental.
The municipality of Tabuelan serves as a gate way in the northern part of Cebu and has ferry services connecting to the town of Estancia in Iloilo, and the cities of Escalante and Sagay in Negros Occidental.
According to the COVID-19 tracker of the DOH in Central Visayas as of July 19, Cebu province has 2,463 COVID-19 infections with 730 total recoveries and 134 confirmed deaths./PN
