(Eagle News)–Cebu ports remain in operation but have stepped up measures against the novel coronavirus, authorities said.
In a statement, the Cebu Port Authority said all terminals in Cebu it directly administers are implementing control measures.
These include body temperature checks through a non-contact thermometer, provision of soaps and alcohol-based hand sanitizers and the putting up of temporary isolation rooms and holding areas.
“Though we are on business-as-usual in our port operations, CPA is also doing its share by ensuring that the risk of exposure of our port users is reduced or minimized,” CPA General Manager Leonilo Miole said.
Based on the issued port protocol by CPA, all passengers including crew and any other person departing from the port shall be subject to “mandatory non-contact thermal scan for proactive detection of febrile condition and flu-like and other common symptoms.”
All persons detected with symptoms the Cebu Baseport “shall be immediately referred to the Department of Health (DOH) 7 and the Bureau of Quarantine and for subports to the city or the municipal doctor or health facilities for proper assessment.”
“All Cebu outbound passengers are requested to comply with the enforced port protocol for everyone’s safety. Those persons suspected of having an infectious disease who shall resist or seriously disobey the enforced protocol may be arrested and charged in violation of Presidential Decree 856, otherwise known as the ‘Code on Sanitation of the Philippines,’ Miole said.
“Our assigned port police are on standby 24/7 to ensure the smooth flow of our port operations,” added Miole.
Passengers were also encouraged to be at their assigned terminals at least two hours before their scheduled trips.
Passenger vessels were also directed to observe early boarding to avoid possible delays.
“On international cargo vessels, CPA remains open in accepting the entry of international ships to our port. Our conditions are the non-disembarkation of vessel crew and the suspension of all visitation privileges extended to seafarers of foreign ships while docked in any CPA-controlled port,” Miole said.
No foreign ships, the official said, shall be allowed to dock and crew, and passengers are not allowed to disembark unless permitted by the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) and the Bureau of Immigration.
