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MANILA — A lone official should lead Cebu province's response to the coronavirus pandemic, a vice mayor said Tuesday following a spike in cases of the respiratory disease there.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday ordered Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, a former military chief, to oversee the pandemic response in Cebu City as its COVID-19 cases breached the 4,400-mark.

• Cebu City may be next virus 'hotspot,' says task force adviser
• DOH data: One-third of new COVID-19 cases in Cebu City in past 2 weeks concentrated in just 10 barangays

"Many cooks spoil the broth," said Cebu City Vice Mayor Mike Rama. "There's got to be only one leader... We feel bad that we have to be led by Cimatu but it will help para may isang (so there will be only one) leader."

"We don't have much time... We want want to reduce deaths, we want to flatten the curve. If Cimatu can do that, then we will welcome him."

Duterte last week placed Cebu City back under the strictest lockdown level: the enhanced community quarantine or ECQ that limits economic activity to utility services, food, water and other essential sectors.

“Kayong mga taga-Cebu, bakit marami? Because you were too confident and too complacent about it.,” the President said Monday.

(You, Cebu residents, why are there many COVID-19 cases? Because you were too confident and too complacent about it.)

• Duterte orders Cimatu to oversee COVID-19 response in Cebu City

COVID-19 cases in Cebu City spiked because of its continuous mass testing that has screened at least 25,000 people since March, Mayor Edgardo Labella earlier said.

• Cebu City to seek looser COVID-19 quarantine, says spike in cases due to aggressive testing

"We were not complacent," said Rama, who also denied that Cebuanos are hardheaded.