and JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR
GOVERNORS and mayors of highly-urbanized and independent component cities cannot place their areas, which have been downgraded to general community quarantine (GCQ) effective Friday, back under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) without the approval of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said local government executives need to request the IATF if they want their jurisdictions placed again under ECQ.
“Almost everyday naman nagmi-miting ang IATF at ‘yan ay masasabihan kaagad kung approve o hindi. We have to align with the national, with the Bayanihan Act, hindi pwedeng kanya kanya (The IATF meets almost everyday so they can be immediately notified if it’s approved or not. We have to align this with the national, with the Bayanihan Act, we cannot act on our own),” Año said.
Año said an entire province or city which have been downgraded to GCQ status will not be necessarily be put back to ECQ status if the IATF approves the request of LGUs.
“Kung sila ay magdedeklara, kunyari ang gobernor ay mag-de-declare ng ECQ sa isa o dalawang municipality pwede ‘yun as long as it is cleared with the regional IATF. Ganun din si mayor, kung siya ay mag-de-declare ng isa o dalawang barangay, kelangan i-clear din ito sa regional IATF (If the governor will declare ECQ in one or two municipalities, that’s allowed as long as it’s cleared with the regional IATF. Same with the mayor, if he wants to declare one or two barangays, it should also be cleared with the regional IATF),” he said.
“Pero ang pag-de-deklara ng isang probinsya, independent city at highly urbanized cities, this is within the authority of the IATF. Ang ayaw lang nating mangyari ay ‘yung magkakaroon ng mga indiscriminate declaration na hindi naka-coordinate sa national (But the declaration of a province, independent city and high urbanized cities, this is within the authority of the IATF. What we don’t want to happen is any indiscriminate declaration that’s not coordinated with the national),” he added.
BACOLOD CITY
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the IATF will review and decide on the request of Bacolod City to be included in the extended ECQ until May 15.
“The appeal of Bacolod City officials asking for President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to extend enhanced community quarantine until May 15, 2020 has reached the Office of the President. Aforesaid appeal needs to undergo protocol such as the approval of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases. Let us just wait for IATF’s decision in this regard,” he said.
The City Council of Bacolod passed a resolution asking the national government to allow the city government to extend the ECQ in the city until May 15 amid the expected influx of people into the city if the current lockdown is lifted by May 1.
“Bacolod City serves as the center of business and leisure in the province of Negros Occidental and even in the island of Negros and the lifting of ECQ will predictably cause a sudden influx of people whose number and movements may become already beyond control,” the resolution said.
Bacolod had reported nine confirmed COVD-19 cases, that included two deaths and four recoveries. Some 150 residents had already been tested and awaiting results of their COVID test.
14-DAY QUARANTINE
Año said persons from ECQ areas who will move or transfer to GCQ areas need to undergo a 14-day quarantine.
During an online forum with governors and Luzon mayors on Tuesday afternoon, Año said the move is necessary to prevent the spread of the infectious virus.
“Talagang namang nararapat lang na sila ay i-undergo ng quarantine sapagkat hindi natin alam kung siya ba ay asymptomatic o siya ba ay PUM (It’s just proper for them to under quarantine because we don’t know if one is asymptomatic or a PUM [person under monitoring]),” said Año.
Año said the process needs coordination between the LGUs where these people are coming from and the receiving LGUs to ensure protocols are observed.
Effective Friday, many areas in Luzon will already be under GCQ where quarantine protocols will already be relaxed, including the resumption of business operations, work, and public transportation, except jeepneys.
The areas which will remain under ECQ are Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Central Luzon except Aurora, Pangasinan, and Benguet except Baguio City. Outside of Luzon, the areas which will remain under ECQ are Iloilo, Cebu, Cebu City, and Davao City.
On domestic tourists stranded in GCQ areas who want to return to their homes in ECQ areas, Año said: “Kung babalik sila ng Manila ito nama’y warning sa kanila na ang Manila ay heavily affected pa rin. Baka mas ligtas kayo kung nasan kayo ngayon (If they want to return to Manila, this is our warning to them, that Manila is still heavily affected. You may be safer in areas where you are now).”
