EXECUTIVE ORDER NO.

5-M
Series of 2020

AN ORDER REGULATING THE USE OF AIRCONDITIONING OF

PUBLIC TRANSPORT VEHICLES WITHIN CEBU
_____________________________________________________________________________________

WHEREAS, on March 8, 2020, President Rodrigo R. Duterte issued Presidential

Proclamation No. 922 declaring a state of public health emergency throughout the
Philippines;

WHEREAS, the World Health Organization has considered and declared the
Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) health event a pandemic;

WHEREAS, in light of the COVID-19 health crisis, I issued several executive

orders, streamlining the guidelines to be followed by local chief executives of
Municipalities and Component Cities of the Province of Cebu;

WHEREAS, studies have identified public transport as one of the critical places
for contagion of the COVID-19 due to the sheer number of people commuting to and
from work;

WHEREAS, massive contamination, thru a mere sneeze or cough carrying

invisible COVID-19 droplets, can easily take place inside a close space air-conditioned
vehicle because the air is recycled inside said vehicle that has very limited exhaust
and due to a small space that can easily crowd;

WHEREAS, there have been studies that suggest that the heat of the sun and
the ultraviolet rays it emits can help neutralize the COVID-19 virus;

WHEREAS, it is imperative that additional mitigation measures are

implemented in order to limit the social interaction of the people of Cebu;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GWENDOLYN F. GARCIA, Governor of the Province of

Cebu, by virtue of the powers and authority vested in me by law, and congruent with
my executive orders issued to help combat the COVID-19, do hereby PROHIBIT the
use of air conditioning in public transport vehicles during their operation within the
Province of Cebu. All public transport vehicles shall keep open their windows at all
times for proper ventilation.

Private vehicles are also encouraged to stop using their air conditioning.

Strict social distancing of one seat between passengers shall be strictly

observed at all times.

This Executive Order shall take effect on March 26, 2020.

SO ORDERED.

The Provincial Capitol, Cebu City, Philippines, March 24, 2020.

BY:

GWENDOLYN F. GARCIA
Governor