Home 
More wash areas and increased security were the order of the day for many private schools in Cebu City which opened yesterday.
At least one downtown campus installed a thermal scanner.
School officials worked with health and police authorities to update students on dealing with the H1N1 virus and the threat of lawless elements.
Cebu Normal University (CNU), the University of the Visayas (UV), the University of San Carlos (USC) and University of Cebu (UC) set up more wash areas for students can clean their hands to avoid contracting the virus.
Dr. Marcelo Lopez, CNU director, said they would suspend classes for 10 days if there is a single reported case of H1N1 flu infection in their campus.
He said the infected student would be advised to self-quarantine and undergo examination to determine his or her condition.
In the University of the Visayas Gerald Anthony Gullas, vice-president for administration and finance, confirmed that a thermal scanner was set up in the school along with more wash areas. Many foreign students are enrolled in medical related courses.
Gullas said foreign students were required to report to the clinic first for examination before being allowed to enroll in classes.
?Our doctors have guidelines on what to do next?, Gullas told reporters.
At the University of Cebu, school president Augusto Go said they are monitoring students for any signs of infection. Advisories of the Department of Health were posted on campus.
Meanwhile Chief Supt. Lani-O Nerez, Police Regional Office (PRO-7) chief, distributed leaflets to students containing tips on how to deal with pickpockets, swindlers, kidnappers and other criminals.
School officials at CNU asked the police to field personnel along Pelaez Street in the evenings to protect students.
They also assigned guards at the school's entrance and back gates. Nerez said Cebu police chiefs were tasked to deploy more police for visibility.
Clarence Paul Oaminal, undersecretary of Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and regional director of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA-7) said dogs were assigned at school campuses to inspect the bags of students for drugs.
Oaminal also said their office called on owners of dormitories to help prevent students from holding pot sessions.
School officials at CNU asked the police to deploy personnel along Pelaez Street in the evenings to protect students.
They also assigned guards at the school's entrance and back gates.
Traffic was heaviest from 6 a.m to 10 a.m.
Areas where traffic was especially congested include those in N. Bacalso Avenue from Bulacao heading to Mambaling-South Road Properties (SRP) junction and MJ Cuenco Avenue heading to Talamban.
Motorists and public utility vehicles (PUVs) had to spend an hour and 15 minutes locked up in traffic in both the northern and southern portions of Cebu City, said Arnel Tancinco, executive officer of the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom).
He recommended car-pooling to reduce the number of vehicles on the road.
