This Week in Cebu and Bohol (March 6 to 12, 2022)

Bohol and Cebu shall maintain under Alert Level 2 until March 15.

Bohol, Cebu province, and Cebu City are still under Alert Level 2 following the announcement of presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles last February 27.

Meanwhile, other areas in Central Visayas are placed under Alert Level 1, the lowest alert level classification. Aklan, Bacolod, Capiz, Guimaras, Siquijor, and Biliran are among the areas in Western Visayas placed under the lowest alert level classification.

According to the Department of Health, under Alert Level 2, allowed establishments and activities shall operate at a maximum capacity of 50% indoors and 70% outdoors. These regulations are limited to fully vaccinated individuals. Individuals under 18 years old are also allowed, whether fully vaccinated or not.

Intrazonal and interzonal movement are also permitted in areas under Alert Level 2. But, respective local government units can impose rules and further restrictions provided that these imposed regulations should not be stricter than those quarantine guidelines implemented under higher alert level classifications.

Under Alert Level 2, activities like cockfighting, horse racing, casinos, lottery and betting shops, and other gaming activities and establishments are not permitted to operate.

Other than Bohol and Cebu, these areas in Visayas are placed under Alert Level 2 as well—Antique, Iloilo City, Iloilo province, Negros Occidental, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Negros Oriental, Eastern and Northern Samar, Leyte, Ormoc City, Southern Leyte, Tacloban City, and Western Samar.

As for current protocols in Cebu province, the provincial government continues to abide by the National Inter-agency Task Force’s quarantine guidelines for fully vaccinated incoming travelers from outside the country. However, Cebu decided to require unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travelers from outside the country to undergo a swab test upon arrival at Cebu’s seaports and airports.

Fully vaccinated travelers must comply with a negative RT-PCR test taken 48 hours before departure from their point of origin. Once they have arrived, they are no longer required to comply with the mandatory quarantine upon arrival. However, they will still need to self-monitor for seven days, and if there are any symptoms observed, they are required to report to the respective local government unit in their area.

Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated travelers will need to comply with a negative RT- PCR test taken 48 hours before departure from their area of origin. It also applies to those with independently invalidated vaccination status. After which, they must undergo mandatory facility quarantine until the result of their RT-PCR test taken on the fifth day is released. Then, they are to undergo compulsory home-based quarantine until the 14th day, considering the date of arrival as the first day. [1]

Cebu now allows full seating capacity in public utility vehicles (PUVs) in the area, along with few restrictions.

Buses, minibusses, taxis, utility vehicles, public jeepneys, and other types of public service vehicles and public modes of transportation are now allowed to operate at full passenger capacity within the vicinities of Cebu province. They must strictly follow the health protocols and safety protocols.

Also, there should be regular disinfection of all PUVs, the seats inside the vehicles, armrests, and other facilities inside the utility vehicles for public use. These would be thoroughly disinfected using ultraviolet germicidal light and other disinfecting agents according to the health protocols.

Drivers and conductors are strictly required to wear their face masks properly. Additionally, using personal air purifiers is highly encouraged in public areas.

All PUVs and public transportations from any localities under the Cebu province must comply with provincial utility vehicle passes with their vehicle’s plate and control numbers and indicate the allowed seating capacity for safety protocols. These passes shall be authorized with the signature of the Cebu governor and a quick response or QR code.

As per the Land Transportation Office and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, violators shall be duly penalized.

PUVs are also permitted to exit the bus terminals, both North and South, as long as they have secured their trip ticket that shows the date of the trip, the route, permitted seating capacity, the actual number of passengers, and final disinfection. This trip ticket shall also have a QR code, plate number, and the dispatcher’s signature.

The Philippine National Police shall implement checkpoints in some areas to ensure that these PUVs comply with the requirements and health protocols under the order.

According to the governor, allowing full passenger capacity in PUVs shall regulate and push economic recovery amidst the pandemic. [2]

In addition, the province has also banned extension seats and the standing of passengers along the aisles inside PUVs.

Currently, towns and areas in Bohol have no new active cases as reported by Bohol’s pandemic task force.

It is noted that cases in Bohol shows a decrease of the emergence of active cases especially in towns like Baclayon, Balilihan, Buenavista, Baclayon, Candijay, Corella, Cortes, Dauis, Dimiao, Duero, Loon, Loay, Garcia Hernandez, Mabini, President Carlos P. Garcia, Sagbayan, Sikatuna and Sierra Bullones. [3]

Among the 48 localities in Bohol, 18 have shown no active cases as of writing.

The downtrend of cases in Bohol is also attributed to the vaccination efforts of the government, as expressed by BIATF spokesperson Dr. Yul Lopez.

The province continues to show a downtrend of active cases, and Bohol is currently under Alert Level 2.

Almost everyone is fascinated with food trends, and Cebuanos are no exception. Recent food trends have been popping everywhere, turning typical food into uniquely tasteful renditions. These emerging food trends are what Cebuanos wish to taste and enjoy soon, including travelers in Cebu.

The Inarizushi, or Inari Sushi, is originally from Japan made out of tofu pockets cooked in dashi-based broth, stuffed with sushi rice, and savored with other tasty ingredients. It is discovered in one restaurant in Vancouver, with different and enticing flavors such as crab meat, aburi salmon, grilled scallop, and beef teriyaki.

Another Utah food shop with numerous branches offers a unique, rotating menu with different flavor options to indulge in. One flavor that stood out was the cornbread cookie, a cookie glazed with honey butter, topped with honey buttercream, plus a drizzle of honey. Another flavor that stood out among the rest of the dessert choices was the German chocolate cake cookie, with a layer of melted milk chocolate topped with coconut pecan.

More food trends are evolving, and this dainty French dessert is next on the wishlist. Instead of macarons that make you fat, the “fatcarons” in Korea are the ones getting fattened up. Also called the ddung-carons, or “fatcarons”, since ddung means fat in the Korean language, these desserts are plumped with savory and sweet flavors that will make you crave more. [4]

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