BY JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR and NOEL TALACAY
THE Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has recommended an extension of the duration of quarantine classifications from 15 days to 30 days to better stabilize government policies and the economy, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez yesterday said.
Lopez, during the Laging Handa public briefing, said the IATF has agreed on the quarantine period extension and was set to submit its final recommendation to President Duterte last night.
“Definitely, we’re looking into a longer term period of community quarantine. In other words, it will not be 14 days, maybe the duration will be one month,” Lopez said, adding:
“The main benefit of this, of course is that there will be stability in our movement and in our preparation for the reopening of the economy.”
The Metro Manila Council (MMC) has likewise recommended to the IATF the extension of the general community quarantine (GCQ) over Metro Manila for 30 days in September.
MMC president and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez said all the 17 local executives in the metropolis agreed to the proposal to extend the GCQ for another month during a Zoom conference last Sunday.
The meeting was also attended by representatives from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) as the MMC’s implementing body, and secretaries Lopez, Eduardo Año (Department of Interior and Local Government), Carlito Galvez, (National Action Plan Chief Implementer), Joselito Bautista (Department of Social Welfare and Development), Vince Dizon (NAP deputy Chief Implementer), and Mark Villar (Department of Public Works and Highways).
Olivarez said metro mayors also asked the IATF to give them the authority to implement isolated or granular lockdowns in barangays, zones, streets, buildings or areas identified as critical zones.
The scheme, he said, “will not affect the entire Metro Manila and businesses will continue.”
Lopez said local government units had already been implementing more granular lockdowns as of late to focus the quarantine restrictions to areas with high incidence of infections. This, he said, allows business establishments and activities to continue in areas not covered by the granular lockdowns.
Lopez said the IATF is now discussing the formulation of new guidelines under a prolonged quarantine period as well as under a “new normal.”
President Duterte had been announcing the different community quarantine status for different regions, provinces and cities in the country every 14 to 15 days.
The President was expected to address the nation on Monday night and announce the new quarantine level in the difference regions starting September 1.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, in a radio interview, said there were calls to downgrade the quarantine level in Metro Manila to modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) level, noting that 60 percent of the economy has already opened.
Roque said there was also a recommendation to shorten the curfew hours to 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. instead of the current 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Lopez said as far as Metro Manila is concerned, “from all indications so far the GCQ parameters are being maintained.”
He added that regardless whether Metro Manila is retained under GCQ or downgraded to MGCQ, the important thing is for the public to continue to cooperate and strictly comply with minimum health standards like the wearing of face mask and face shield, frequent washing of hands, physical distancing and isolation of infected persons or suspected to be infected with COVID-19.
GUIDELINES
Lopez said gyms, fitness centers and sports facilities; tutorial centers, review centers and testing centers, computer shops and internet cafes, personal care services, pet grooming services and similar establishments that were closed down Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal were placed under the stricter modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) on will be reopened starting today.
He said restrictions in dine-in operation would also be eased further and increased from 30 percent to 50 percent.
Joint Task Force COVID Shield chief Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said policemen will be deployed to ensure establishments which were allowed to operate effective today will comply with health protocols.
“The easing of restrictions is for the sake of our economy,” said Eleazar, referring to the re-opening of testing and tutorial centers, review centers, gyms and fitness centers, personal grooming and pet grooming establishments.
“It does not mean that we should also lower our guard. The threat of coronavirus infection is still there so we should always be alert and continue doing our mandate of protecting the public from virus transmission,” added Eleazar.
He reminded establishment owners that minimum health standards, like the wearing of face mask and face shield and physical distancing, must be observed at all times.
Eleazar said he expects people to flock to open establishments, so he has directed local police commanders to coordinate with local government officials, including barangay personnel, to ensure that health protocols are strictly followed.
“Local commanders can also tap the barangay officials for the deployment of barangay tanods as force multipliers, or the public order and safety personnel of cities and municipalities to augment the local police,” he said.
“We should anticipate all the eventualities that may occur and these must be included in the planning and implementation in order to ensure that the quarantine rules are observed,” Eleazar said. — with Victor Reyes
