By Calvin Cordova
CEBU CITY — Cebu province’s Task Force New Normal will have six key functions once the province is downgraded from Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) to General Community Quarantine (GCQ).
(Cebu Capitol PIO / MANILA BULLETIN)
The duties and responsibilities of the task force were stipulated in Executive Order (EO) No. 14 issued by Governor Gwen Garcia on Tuesday.
The task force, which had its first meeting at the Capitol on Monday, will create measures to protect the public from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) once the ECQ is lifted.
The EO stated that the task force will formulate protocols for the regulation and management of gatherings and activities as well as the flow of persons in public places that are in line with the national policies.
The task force will also formulate policies, safety measures, and regulations relative to public transportation ticketing lines, and ticketing offices as well as the interiors of public vehicles, their passengers, drivers, and conductors.
Safety measures and regulations within schools will also be formulated by the task force.
The task force will develop an enhanced countryside development plan with emphasis on the enhancement of the agriculture capacity of the different local government units in order for them to be self-sufficient.
The task force will also profile private commercial establishments for the formulation of policies to be observed by their personnel upon the resumption of operations.
A new normal workforce and workplace management plan that will be implemented by the private sectors in their offices will also be formulated by the task force.
Chaired by Garcia, the task force is composed of representatives from various government agencies, business, and transportation groups.
The prevailing ECQ in the province will end on May 15, 2020.
As of May 6, Cebu province has 35 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Cebu City has the most cases in Central Visayas with 1,385, followed by Mandaue with 93, while Lapu-Lapu City has 43.