This Week in Cebu (March 8 to 14, 2020)

The weather for the coming week will be generally sunny with some spots of rain. While a short morning shower is expected from Sunday to Tuesday, Wednesday will see the chances of rain going down to just one percent. Thursday may see a bit of cloud cover over Cebu, but this will be a brief respite from the heat as the sun will come back in its full glory over the weekend. Temperatures in Cebu for the week will range from 22 °C and 33 °C [1].

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board 7 (LTRFB) said there are only four legitimate ride-hailing apps currently operating in Cebu. The apps accredited by the LTFRB 7 are Grab, Hirna, Hype, and MiCab. Two other apps, Maxim and Indriver, are illegally operating in Cebu since they have no accreditation and license to operate. But Maxim public relations specialist Maria Pukhova said they are already processing their Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registration. After the registration, the company will work on their accreditation with the LTFRB. She added the company is only testing its software in preparation for its operations in Cebu [2].

Two local airlines canceled flights to South Korea after travel restrictions were imposed due to COVID-19 concerns. Cebu Pacific canceled flights from Manila, Cebu, and Kalibo to Incheon from March 3 to April 30. While Philippine Airlines (PAL) cut back its flights to South Korea for March, the airline will continue serving travelers to and from Busan and Seoul. Earlier, the government imposed a travel ban for Filipino tourists going to South Korea due to the virus. It also banned the entry of travelers coming from North Gyeongsang, South Korea. To offset the effects of the travel restrictions, the Cebu Alliance of Tour Operations Specialists (CATOS) is working on tour packages to spur domestic tourism. CATOS president Alice Queblatin said they are hoping to mitigate the effects of the virus through domestic tour packages [3].

Hotels and resorts in Medellin, Cebu were asked to purchase thermal guns as a precautionary measure against the COVID-19. Medellin Mayor Joven Mondigo Jr. met with local officials and owners of hotels and resorts in Medellin to implement measures against the entry of the disease. One of the measures is for hotels and resorts to purchase thermal guns. Moreover, the mayor advised hotels and resorts to check the health of their guests and seek assistance from local health authorities in case they show symptoms of the disease. The northern Cebu town has two hotels and twelve resorts. It is also famous for its beaches and water sports activities [4].

Mayor Edgardo Labella said Fuente Osmeña Circle will soon have a dancing musical fountain. It will replace the fountain currently located in the center of the circle. Moreover, smaller musical fountains will also be installed at the Plaza Independencia. The installation of these fountains will be a joint project between the city government and the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD). The mayor said the project will show that Cebu City has an ample supply of water. Mayor Labella directed the City Parks and Playgrounds Commission and MCWD officials to come up with a program of works and estimates for the project. On the other hand, MCWD Chairman Jose Daluz III said the project will restore this major city landmark, which was constructed in 1912 [5].

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