The Covid-19 infection in the Province of Cebu and the highly urbanized cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu has dramatically gone down as shown in Monday’s Covid-19 case bulletin of the Department of Health (DOH) Central Visayas, compared to Metro Manila and its neighboring provinces. However, this is not the right time for us to put our guard down. Let’s maintain our discipline to keep infections further down.

Per DOH Central Visayas Covid-19 case bulletin as of May 10, 2021, Cebu has 601 active cases with 16 new cases compared to Bohol with 1,143 active cases with 25 new cases. Negros Oriental has 557 active cases with zero new case while Siquijor has 17 active cases with two new cases.

Cebu City has 639 active Covid-19 cases with nine new cases, 409 active cases for Lapu-Lapu City with five new cases, while Mandaue City has 293 active cases with eight new cases. Kudos to all of us for complying with the health protocols as well as to our law enforcers for ensuring that everyone obeys health laws.

The tragedy that now hit India after their huge religious celebration where thousands of people congregate without observing the health protocols suffer the consequences. Millions were infected and thousands died because their hospitals were overwhelmed and supplies ran out. This should serve as a hard lesson to all Asian countries.

The latest instruction from President Rodrigo Duterte to arrest and detain those who do not properly wear the face masks and face shields deserves our support and obedience. The good thing here is that all church leaders have cooperated with the government in complying with the minimum health protocols. They did not force the issue on events like street processions and fiesta celebrations.

I’ve said this so many times and posted on social media the pictures of people who do not properly wear their face mask and face shield that I already sound like a broken record, but I don’t mind repeating the same reminder since I feel that it is also my obligation to help. I encourage everyone to be vaccinated. I already have the first dose since there is nothing to be scared of.

Cebu is luckier than the rest of the provinces. Its businesses are opened even while under the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ). This is largely due to the strong efforts of our local leaders, particularly Gov. Gwen Garcia, that the businesses were reopened as people regained strength and confidence. Despite the criticisms, Garcia’s “Suroy-Suroy Sugbo,” Capitol’s tourism program, helped spur the economy.

On weekends, the beach and resort hotels in Lapu-Lapu City and in other places is business as usual although it’s not the same as before the pandemic. I had a short talk with the executive of one of the resort hotels in Lapu-Lapu City that usually caters to foreign tourists during the good times. The executive is contented that they’re back in business even though the locals are their primary clientele.

The latest instruction from President Rodrigo Duterte to arrest and detain those who do not properly wear the face masks and face shields deserves our support and obedience.