This Week in Cebu (November 3 to 9, 2019)

Rain clouds will loom over the Queen City of the South throughout the first week of November. So you should bring an umbrella before you leave home. Saturday will see a 72 percent chance of rain, especially in the morning. The evening will be the same as a thunderstorm is expected to come. There will be a slight improvement in the weather on Sunday, but rain showers are still expected in the morning. The same thing goes for the rest of the week with thunderstorms affecting the city either in the morning or the evening. Temperatures for the week will be between 24°C to 32°C [1].

At least 20 vehicle dealers and manufacturers are joining an upcoming modern Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) caravan in Central Visayas. Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) director Eduardo Montealto Jr. said the event will be held in Cebu, Tagbilaran, and Dumaguete. Existing transport operators are welcome to attend the event where different models and brands of vehicles compliant with the PUV modernization program of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) will be showcased. The Cebu leg will be held on November 8 at SM Seaside City Cebu. Currently, 40 units of Beeps (bus-jeepneys) are plying the Cebu City Hall to the Cebu IT Park route [2].

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia called on law enforcement agencies to implement tighter security measures in ports following a daring heist in Mandaue City recently. Even as mall security is an immediate concern, the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) should also implement strict security measures in terminals and seaports, the governor added. The comment of the governor was made after seven suspects in the mall robbery were not from Cebu. She said CPPO Director Colonel Roderick Mariano already gave his assurance that the police will work on preventing lawless individuals from entering the province [3].

Commuters from the south can look forward to smooth sailing, both figuratively and literally, with the launch of the sea jeepney. The new commuter service offers ten trips between Pier 1 of Cebu City and the Naga City Wharf every day from 5:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Moreover, the fare for a one-way trip is PhP60. Operated by MCE Shipping Lines, the MV Nicole Express can accommodate 45 persons, including the crew. Aside from serving commuters living in Naga City and other neighboring towns, the new service can also help in decongesting the traffic in the south. Nelson Mejia, owner and chief executive officer of MCE, said the company may increase the number of vessels servicing the route by the end of the year if necessary [4].

To provide accurate information on some heritage sites in Cebu, the Archdiocese of Cebu started using QR markers ahead of the quincentennial celebration in 2021. Launched on October 21, information about the Archdiocesan Museum of Cebu and the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral are now available through QR markers. The markers were installed with the help of InnoPub and Smart Communications. InnoPub co-founder Max Limpag said tourists will only have to scan the QR marker using a smartphone to get the information about the heritage site. Moreover, the information displayed is well-researched and checked by historians and the heritage commission of the archdiocese. Cebu Archdiocesan commission for culture and heritage head, Fr. Brian Brigoli, said the project aims to provide correct information for both residents and visitors of Cebu [5].

Cebu provincial authorities stood firm with its ban on pork products coming from Luzon. African Swine Fever (ASF) Task Force of Cebu head Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy said the province will continue monitoring all entry points after three pork products from Luzon tested positive of the ASF. She said the test result from the Bureau of Animal Industry adds credence to the need to prohibit the entry of pork products from Luzon. Additionally, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said Presidential Assistant Michael Lloyd Dino supports the decision of the province in banning the entry of these products [6].

Check out Yoorekka.com for Cebu’s latest travel news.