DAVAO CITY — President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Tuesday, July 30, reiterated his call to Cebuanos to follow government protocols to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), adding the imposition of tighter restrictions should not be construed as an insult to the population.
Cebu is considered the country’s COVID-19 “hotspot” because of the continuous spike in the number of new infections.
“You have the highest [number of cases]. Cebu is now the hotspot for COVID. Bakit? Marami sa inyo hindi sumunod. Do not get insulted because I am also a Cebuano. Don’t get mad at me. I am just doing my job,” President Duterte said during a televised address.
The President expressed dismay over Cebu residents’ “almost nonchalant” attitude towards the disease, noting that safety measures such as stay-at-home order and social distancing policy were generally ignored.
“Kagaya ng Talisay. Talisay was like a marketplace every day. Nag-iinuman kayo diyan, nagsusugal, almost nonchalant of the dangers that were lurking around,” he said. “You better shape up. Sana maniwala lang kayo,” he stressed.
The President said that “substantial compliance” of quarantine measures was observed in the greater Metro Manila area. He noted that despite some quarantine violations, these were generally followed.
If quarantine measures against the respiratory disease are strictly observed, there will be less number of cases, Duterte explained.
“Ngayon kita mo bakit marami? Well, one of the reasons really I would say even without consulting the body because you did not follow rules. Hindi ganoon karami ‘yan,” he said.
On June 22, the President ordered Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu to oversee government efforts in containing COVID-19 outbreak in Cebu. He also placed Cebu City under “stricter” enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
On Tuesday, the Cebu City Health Department (CCHD) logged 353 new cases, bringing the total number of infections to 5,494 with 2,723 recoveries and 169 deaths.-Newsline with PND
