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This Week in Cebu and Bohol (August 21 to 27, 2022)
See what’s happening in Cebu and Bohol this week!
By: Mira Maestrecampo | August 21, 2022
Lenient travel continues to progress as local and international flights are added, and tourist arrivals increase, particularly in Bohol. On the other hand, individuals who have not yet received their COVID booster shots in some areas in Cebu are urged since the target number of individuals to be inoculated with the second series is still far from reach.
The back–to-school preparations and new policies are also being launched and implemented by the local governments.
Travel Updates:
More flights in Visayas and Mindanao
The current travel mobility in the Philippines is gradually returning to normal, and travel restrictions are becoming more lenient as AirAsia Philippines added more flights to popular spots in the country, bound for Caticlan, Cebu, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro.
AirAsia Philippines has also expanded 56 weekly flights bound for different destinations coming from Cebu as the point of origin.
As of August 16, travelers from Mactan Cebu International Airport Terminal 2 can now travel to Boracay seven times a week and to Cagayan de Oro or Davao four times a week.
Meanwhile, flights to Puerto Princesa four times a week shall start on September 2.
High tourist visits in Bohol
Consequently, as flights in Cebu increase, so are the number of tourist arrivals in Bohol which reportedly surged by 52% during the first six months of this year, implying a stable recovery of Bohol’s tourism sectors and travel industry.
From January to June, there were a total of 116,153 tourists that have arrived in Bohol province, compared to the numbers counted in the same period last 2021 of only 76,570, according to the Bohol Tourism Office (BTO).
Among the numbers reported, 112,879 were Filipino locals.
With these reports, BTO expects the numbers to increase in the following months of 2022.
Another significant change in the province of Bohol is the ban of food vendors on Virgin Island Bohol after the local government in the said area investigated the viral photo of a receipt from one of the food stalls on the island, which reflected an amount of more than PhP26,000.
According to a Philippine news source, the Bohol local government decided to ban all the food vendors and food stalls in Virgin Island Bohol due to overpricing issues. These food vendors are also found out and declared ‘illegal’ since they did not have legitimate business permits.
Curfew policy set for minors in Talisay, Cebu
Talisay City, Cebu, imposes a new curfew policy, and minors are not allowed to go out in the streets from 10:00 PM to 4:00 AM the next day.
Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony ‘Samsam’ Gullas officially announced the new policy through his official Facebook page last August 15, after signing the Executive Order (EO) implementing the imposed curfew in Talisay City Cebu, applicable to the minor age group.
The said EO takes effect immediately.
Gullas has ordered the implementation of the new order to local enforcers and police authorities from the City of Talisay – Traffic Operations and Development Authority (CT-TODA).
The city mayor also considered this policy after the barangay captains’ request during their recent forum.
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Tourism News: Cebu Provincial Capitol moves to another town.
The provincial government capitol of Cebu leaves the city as it formally moves to the industrial town of Balamban. But, the Cebu Provincial Capitol in Cebu City will remain a landmark and tourism facility.
According to Cebu Provincial Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, the location of the new Cebu capitol in Balamban will start its construction within the year. The interiors of the new provincial government center shall be replicated from the provincial capitol in Cebu City.
Transportation News: Bohol Town Residents ask for help with the repair of the hanging bridge
Residents of Inabanga Town in the province of Bohol have appealed to the Philippine national government to repair the hanging bridge in Napo, destroyed by the recent typhoon Odette to avoid possible future accidents.
The hanging bridge also serves as a passage to the residents of the said village, connecting Napo and Cawayan. The residents use the hanging bridge daily when they must pass by the Inabanga River to go to the public market and other places.
Bohol Governor Aris Aumentado has responded to the said plea, saying he will find ways to restore the hanging bridge. As remembered, the bridge was a project initiated by Aumentado when he served as the representative of the second district in the town of Inabanga.
Meanwhile, the significant presence of a tarsier, a rare Bohol primate, was acknowledged by the Philippines Visayas Tacloban College (UPVTC). They said that the company of the tarsier in Tacloban City, Bohol magnifies the role of Bohol province as a key biodiversity area. [1]
Vaccination Update: Inoculation of COVID booster shots still urged
Residents of Mandaue, Cebu are pushed to avail the secondary series of vaccines or the COVID booster shots.
Currently, 90% of eligible vaccinees have already been inoculated with the primary doses or the first and the second vaccine doses. In comparison, almost only 40% of the said eligible population have been vaccinated with the first COVID booster shot.
Within the whole month of August, vaccination drives at Mandaue’s city hall grounds will be available, and vaccinations will be conducted from Mondays to Thursdays.
Vaccine drives and vaccination areas at the Pacific Mall and the Parkmall.
Vaccinations are also available every Tuesday and Wednesday at the City Health Office.
On a general scope, only 20% of the target population in Central Visayas have received the first shot of the COVID booster dose. It makes Central Visayas still far from reaching its benchmark of 50% to be achieved within the first 100 days of administration under the newly elected President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Cebu Province is logged to have the lowest vaccination rate in the region, among four provinces and three highly urbanized cities in Central Visayas, with only 183,956 vaccinated individuals, reaching only 15.03%. Cebu Province also has the highest target number of eligible vaccinees to receive the first shot of the COVID booster dose at 1,223,612. [2]
Upcoming Events: Back-to-school preparations
Department of Education-Mandaue City (DepEd-Mandaue) launches Oplan Balik Eskwela last August 15 at Mandaue City Central School in Cebu.
The event was also held for the educational sector to address the concerns, queries, and issues the parents and stakeholders raised.
Most of the concerns were about the enrollment, as usual.
Visit Yoorekka Magazine for more travel and COVID-19 updates and guidelines in Cebu and Bohol!
All details and information in this article are true and accurate as of the publication date. However, while we are making our utmost effort to keep our content as up-to-date as possible, the condition surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be unpredictable, and the situation is developing rapidly. Hence, some information and recommendations may have changed since this article was published. For the latest advice, visit DOH and your LGU's official websites.
Sources:
[1] https://bit.ly/3CdevdH
[2] https://bit.ly/3QKAf4C
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About Mira Maestrecampo
Mira - with a long surname - is a girl who dreams of becoming a news anchor someday, in God's perfect time. She loves to read books and eat different kinds of cheesy or saucy food. A coffee addict and a dog lover, she loves long hugs, hot coffee on an afternoon break with friends, or simply sleeping all day with her stuffed unicorns.
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Disclaimer: All articles in the Consumers Magazine of Yoorekka are
for general information and entertainment purposes only. Although
careful research has been made in writing them, Yoorekka does not
make any warranty about the completeness and accuracy of all
information presented in our articles. Our content is not intended
to be used in place of legal, medical, or any professional advice.
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