NOTE: This story was first published in The Bohol Chronicle’s Sunday print edition.
Taking a busy schedule break, Gov. Art Yap on Thursday crossed the seas and visited the people of the first and only Bohol island “locked down” in the midst of the COVID-19 scare.
He brought and distributed food packs to a thousand families in Cuaming island off Inabanga which is just a sight away from Cebu.
He was accompanied by Mayor Roygie Jumamoy and Councilor Juno Jumamoy.
The island has been placed under an enhanced community quarantine when several residents there showed COVID-19-related symptoms, although all tests were negative.
Yap could not disembark as the people were yet on their 14th day quarantine, so he talked to them using a microphone while standing on a boat.
He said the island barangays are important to him, to Bohol—and the provincial government will do its best to protect them and extend them assistance.
But the governor also called on the islanders to help continue protecting Bohol from people who want to enter illegally, which will possibly result in COVID infections in mainland Bohol.
He explained that Bohol is on a delicate balance and a sudden surge of infections may collapse the healthcare system of the province.
Yap promised to return when quarantine rules will allow him—or once COVID-19 shall have passed.