Economic recovery remains Cebu’s top priority

CEBU – Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said she is confident that the towns and cities here are already equipped and capable of managing Covid-19, saying, the road to economic recovery will be the Provincial Government’s foremost concern this year.

She said Cebu will continue what it has already started in leading the road to economic recovery as this is far more important than dwelling on the number cases affected with Covid-19. She reiterated that Covid-19 will remain present in the society while there is no known cure to it yet. But while she acknowledges the existence of Covid-19, Garcia said she has always pushed for the prevention of not just the deadly respiratory disease, but all other diseases as well.

Garcia also encourages Cebuanos to strengthen their immune system to give the body the fighting chance while they go on with their lives and livelihoods.

“Kami diri sa probinsya, we accept the fact that life is not perfect, this is not paradise. There are diseases and there are diseases. It is not a matter of eradicating diseases because we cannot do that but it's a matter of managing diseases. In this case, it’s a matter of managing Covid-19. Syaro naman usa ka tuig na ta nag deal ani matarantar gihapon ta karon,” she said. “Give your body the chance to fight Covid and all other diseases and that is what we should focus on. Dili na lang Covid na lang gyud.”

Garcia urged Cebuanos to be more cautious and analytical in knowing about the disease as the average death rate of Covid-19 in the national level is only 1.7 percent. In Cebu, she said the recovery rate is high at 94.3 percent. 

“Nag-ingon diay ko nga ma-zero Covid ta? Apan kung mao na lang mag-inihap na pud ta unya mahadlok na pud ta, pila na kaha run ang nagkalisud? Ang situation sa poverty, ngano di na i-report” she asked.

“Sultian ta mo, kay kahibaw mo, duna na’y Covid fatigue ang mga tawo, gikapoy na. Kay ngano? Gigutom na sila. Pero padayon ta ini sige’g kahadlok, lockdown-lockdown ra ba dayon, basin unya daghan mamatay sa gutom kaysa sa Covid mismo,” she added.

Garcia said the Province will continue its work in economic recovery which included the reopening of the tourism industry and implementation of Sugbo Negosyo and Sugbusog programs meant to help local entrepreneurs recover from the economic brunt brought by the pandemic.

Garcia committed to protect Cebu’s economy because she is protecting the Cebuanos who “cannot speak up apan maoy nanga-apektuhan kay wa nay mga trabaho, wa nay mga panginabuhi. That is what we are going to do. We will not be distracted by too much concentration on Covid-19 numbers because the data are all there,” she said.

Garcia said this year's priority programs are geared towards providing more jobs and livelihood to people in the countryside such as the on-going road repairs and construction. “Thank you very much. We're in good shape as far as Cebu Province is concerned. We have very clear-cut policies. Our mayors are more than equipped and experienced to manage Covid-19. We must now focus more on reviving the Cebu economy,” she said.

She encouraged Cebuanos to continue practice good hygiene and to stay healthy and have a good eight-hour sleep and drink vitamins and other practices to boost their immune system. “People are employing common sense and using remedies nga readily available sa balay, apil ang inyo gikalagutan nga tuob,” she said.

The Integrated Provincial Health Office have also installed systems in all 12 district and four provincial hospitals. All towns and cities have isolation centers in place. “Let us nurture a healthy Cebuano population moving towards economic recovery because we are in the worst shape when we talk about the economy as compared to Covid-19,” Garcia said. (Vanessa L. Almeda)

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