Duterte asks DOH to review Cebu's quarantine rules

President Rodrigo Duterte has directed Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to review and provide feedback on Cebu's modified quarantine rules for returning residents and overseas Filipino workers.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia presented the province's arrival protocols to President Duterte, highlighting a deviation from national guidelines.

Under Cebu's protocols, OFWs and returning Filipinos are required to undergo a shorter quarantine period of two to three days with swabbing upon arrival, unlike the national policy of a 10-day quarantine with swabbing on the seventh day.

President Duterte emphasized the importance of adhering to national policies while awaiting Duque's critique of Cebu's "innovations."

This directive follows President Duterte's earlier order to divert international flights to Manila, a move that was reportedly justified by presidential spokesperson Harry Roque as being due to the full capacity of quarantine hotels in Cebu, a claim disputed by Cebu hotel owners.