) – January 30, 2021 – 12:00am
CEBU, Philippines — With the continuous rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in Cebu City, the City Council will hold its sessions again online.
Vice Mayor Michael Rama, the presiding officer of the council, said they will temporarily have their sessions via zoom for the safety of the councilors and their staff.
The online sessions will start next week, February 3.
To recall, the City Council resorted to virtual sessions at the start of the pandemic in March last year and returned to physical sessions five months later in September when the city was placed under the modified general community quarantine.
The City Council was supposed to have a special session yesterday afternoon but was not pushed through as there are still things that needed to be finalized before the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) makes its presentation.
Rama said they were supposed to tackle the city’s present COVID-19 status, the plan of actions that are to be adopted or have been adopted, and “will there be light at the end of the tunnel when all of these will be implemented.”
He said the other equally important matter to be tackled is about the city’s vaccination program.
He said concerns, such as available vaccines, logistical requirements, vaccine distribution, and the readiness of the people to be vaccinated, among others, need to be properly discussed.
“That will also include programs down to sitio level para for information education communication so that there will be not much resistance but more on cooperation and readiness for the identified priorities to be vaccinated,” said Rama.
“I have to bring in public, people might be expectant kay importante raba kaayo na. Ako na naconnect with the minority. We also felt nga it was a blessing in disguise nga we will not be seeing each other in a session hall considering nga wala pa ni ma-curb nato ang atoang surge,” he said.
Rama assured that the City Council will always be available to support the executive initiative, especially in addressing the present “serious concern,” which is the COVID-19 situation.
On the other hand, the vice mayor refused to confirm the reports about a councilor who allegedly tested positive for COVID-19.
Per the Department of Health in Central Visayas data, Cebu City recorded 103 new COVID-19 cases on January 28, 2021 bringing the total active cases to 1,150.
The city recorded four additional recoveries putting the total recoveries to 10,368, while the total deaths remain at 701. — KQD (FREEMAN)