Several netizens in Cebu expressed complaints on social media after the declaration of special non-working days for the 48th Asean Summit was belatedly announced, now including Cebu City and Mandaue City. Malacañang had initially declared May 6-8, 2026, as special non-working days in Lapu-Lapu City and Cordova Municipality in Cebu Province, under Proclamation 1239 signed by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto on May 5, 2026.
It was only on Wednesday morning, May 6, that it became clear that Cebu City and Mandaue were also included in the proclamation, declaring them special non-working days for the three-day period. By that time, many workers had already left their homes to report to work. One netizen commented on the SunStar Cebu Facebook page, stating: "...to say that we should just declare a holiday to alleviate traffic at 8am on the same day is a different kind of craziness and entitlement mindset these national gov’t officials have." Another complaint read: "We went to a police station this afternoon to get police clearance, only to be told to come back on Monday because it’s a 'holiday.' Public service shouldn’t come to a standstill just because there’s an international event happening."
Provincial Government Offices Remain Open
Meanwhile, important offices of the Cebu Provincial Government remained open despite the work suspension order in Cebu City, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Cordova due to security and order preparations. According to a memorandum from the Capitol, the offices of Tourism, Provincial General Services Office, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, Provincial Engineering Office, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, Provincial Health Officer, and Provincial Governor's Office will remain open, albeit with limited personnel. Work suspensions had previously been ordered in Lapu-Lapu City and Cordova Municipality for the Asean Summit and related meetings.
Cebu City Implements Skeletal Workforce
Aside from the province, Cebu City also implemented a skeletal workforce and suspended non-essential offices. The government ordered that important offices providing critical services to Cebuanos, such as frontline services, should remain open. All department heads were given the authority to select personnel who would work during this period.
The 48th Asean Summit starts today and runs until May 8, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Marcos leading the closing ceremony. / with additional report from FVQ
