This Week in Cebu and Bohol (April 3 to 9, 2022)

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama announced that the government shall allow more undertakings and activities to pave the way for economic growth now that the surge of active coronavirus disease has ceased. Rama says that Cebu City now welcomes and expects more activities, regardless of the number of people involved in concerts, rallies, and the like.

The mayor added that there shall be no limitations to such activities, provided that the event organizers adhere to the rules that will be provided by the city government.

The mayor recently announced this following the “Arat Na” concert in Cebu, held at the Cebu City Sports Center. Around 100,000 people have gathered during the show, which also went viral on social media.

Rama says that the city and its constituents have adapted to the new normal at this pandemic time. They are now embracing a more open policy like everything was before the lockdown, and the onset of the pandemic happened. [1]

In light of this, the risk of transmission and the possibility of spreading the virus is still there. Still, if activities like this are held in open-air places, and if participants are fully vaccinated and adequately observed wearing face masks, the virus’s potential spreading is lessened, said Councilor Joel Garganera, Emergency Operations Center head. [2]

Mayor Rama also said that there will be further debriefing with authorities assigned to oversee events like these and double-check if government rules and regulations are implemented. He also added that huge crowds are unavoidable, especially in campaign rallies now that election season is in around the whole country. The mayor said that the government expects more of these “mammoth crowds”, but he also emphasized that safety measures should still be observed, accompanied by responsibility. [3]

As for the concert just recently held in Cebu, IATF Visayas Chief Implementer Gen. Mel Feliciano expressed his thoughts that events with huge crowds like these give us a glimpse of the new normal. The city government has also lifted curfew policies.

Cebu City is currently under Alert Level 1, and as of writing, the national government has yet to announce whether Cebu’s alert level status will be escalating or maintained.

Meanwhile, schools in selected areas under Alert Level 1 and 2 in Central Visayas shall be allowed to partake in graduation ceremonies physically, as announced by Department of Education (DepEd)-7, Director Salustiano Jimenez.

To be authorized, these schools must be located in areas either under Alert Level 1 or Alert Level 2 and must apply an application with the Department of Education to be permitted. Jimenez also said that DepEd would also need to double-check whether the schools can hold physical graduation ceremonies and follow the Inter-Agency Task Force rules. [4]

Cebu City is also set to start off with the face-to-face classes and shall be implemented after the May elections, according to Garganera.

This April, the Department of Tourism (DOT) signals a go for the full reopening to fully vaccinated travelers and tourists from all countries, effective April 1.

DOT is hopeful and expectant of more incoming travelers under the new normal, with more lenient policies and requirements before and upon arriving here in the country.

Starting April 1, foreign travelers can now enter the Philippines without complying with the entry exemption document, as long as they follow immigration rules and adhere to the visa requirements if there are any.

However, the DOT also clarified that proof of complete vaccination and undergoing the pre-departure RT-PCR tests are still required with this latest travel policy. Further proceedings shall be applied for unvaccinated travelers and for individuals who cannot comply with the visa requirements and immigration laws and policies, rules, regulations.

The Department of Health in Central Visayas conducted a 3-day house to house vaccination activity, including the towns and cities of Cebu province, to improve the vaccination rate, especially among senior citizens.

The 3-day particular vaccination was launched last March 29 and mainly targeted areas with a high population of senior citizens who have not yet received their vaccination doses. This vaccination drive was also tagged as Operation Suyod.

Meanwhile, in Bohol, taking measures towards embracing the new normal is still in progress, especially regarding the province’s vaccination rate accomplishment, also targeting the senior citizens. Bohol is under Alert Level 2 classification as of writing and is anticipating being deescalated this April after reaching the target vaccination rate.

The Bohol Inter-Agency Task Force on the management of Emerging Infectious Diseases announced that Boholanos are still in the works of inoculating 70% of Bohol’s total population.

According to Cebu City’s Emergency Operations Center, Cebu City marks the lowest positivity rate since January this year, as confirmed by Councilor Joel Garganera.

Cebu City’s positivity rate dropped to 0.20%, a rate below the pandemic baseline of the World Health Organization. [5]

On the flip side, one of President Rodrigo Duterte’s presidential advisers noted that the country may experience another COVID19 surge in the half of 2022 if the government and the health sectors would not be able to inoculate more Filipinos with booster vaccines and booster shots. [6] Administering booster shot vaccination should be acted upon immediately since the booster vaccine doses will expire by June, says Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship, Joey Concepcion.

In Cebu, there is a trending, new way of eating your favorite Siomai! Grilled Siomai Kebabs on top of homemade java rice is now one of Cebu’s most beloved eats, a food trend founded by Shannen Sushmita Reyes, who also founded Siomai Kebab last May 2021.

Each serving of the Siomai Kebab is drizzled with takoyaki sauce, garlic mayo, dashed with chopped spring onions. Reyes shares that in Cebu, you should consider making your food delicious and affordable for the market one of the ways for your food business to succeed.

You can taste these deliciously unique Siomai Kebabs in the following stores: Siomai Kebab – Mabolo at E-zone, F. Cabahug St., Cebu City, beside CIE and Bonifacio District, across Citipark Hotel, near Fooda Mabolo, which is open from 3:00 PM to 12:00 AM, from Tuesday to Sunday; Siomai Kebab – Jones at Southpole Grill and Restaurant, beside BDO-Jones and 7/11 Jones, which is open from 11:00 AM to 8:00PM, and open on Monday to Saturday; Siomai Kebab – Maguikay, Mandaue at JJ Marketplace, beside Holy Family Parish, opens from 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM on Tuesdays to Sundays; Siomai Kebab – Medellin at Paradizzo Beach Resort opening from Thursday to Sunday at 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM; and Siomai Kebab – Basak, Mandaue at Go Ka Oh Building, open from Monday to Saturday at 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM. [7]

Besides the tasty and unique Siomai, 24 Chicken Delivery is now in Cebu. The favorite boneless chicken joint, which serves quality tasting Korean fried chicken, can directly be ordered by Cebuanos through Grab Food and Food Panda. 24 Chicken Delivery’s physical store is located at GND Arcade, F. Cabahug Street, Kasambagan, Cebu. [8]

This summer, another fun way to enjoy food is at Lantaw-Lantaw Barbeque and Restaurant, located in Ibo Bridge, Diosdado Macapagal, Toledo, Cebu, serving Cebuano’s local Pinoy favorites, and classics such as barbecue, balbacua, and linat-ang baka. Coolers for this summer are also available at this restaurant, like the halo-halo, iced coffee, mais con yelo, and ice-cold beer. [9]

Visit Yoorekka Magazine for more travel and COVID-19 updates and guidelines in Cebu and Bohol!