DOH: Cases in NCR, Luzon going down
BY NOEL TALACAY
METRO Manila mayors want to relax quarantine restrictions in the region next month and allow more business establishments to reopen and extend operating hours, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benjamin Abalos Jr. yesterday said.
Abalos, who is also the chairman of the Metro Manila Council, said the consensus was reached during a meeting on Wednesday night, which was also attended by representatives from the National Economic and Development Authority’s (NEDA), Department of Health and other government agencies.
The National Capital Region, along with the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal, or what is collectively called the NCR Plus, is under general community quarantine with “heightened restrictions” until May 31.
During the meeting, Abalos said all the mayors of Metro Manila recommended that more business establishments be allowed to reopen and to operate with extended hours. “This will be one of our recommendations to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF),” he said.
The IATF was set to meet last night to discuss the quarantine classifications in June and submit their recommendations to President Duterte for approval. Roque said the President might announce it on May 31.
The Metro mayors have also agreed to increase church capacity to 50 percent, from the current 30 percent.
Curfew hours will remain from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
The Metro mayors’ recommendation comes as the Department of Health noted that the NCR Plus area continues to see a decline in cases.
“We have observed that the decline is slower now. It is still going down but not as fast as before. It started around the middle of May,” DOH – Epidemiology Bureau (EB) Director Dr. Alethea de Guzman said.
Data shows that during the May 9 to 22 period, the growth rate in NCR is at -47 percent, Calabarzon at -25 percent, and Central Luzon at -19 percent. The health utilization rate is at 43 percent in May from 68 percent in April.
The average daily attack rates in the three regions are also decreasing from 18.97 to 10.06 in Metro Manila, from 9.29 to 6.95 in Calabarzon, and from 7.60 to 6.17 in Central Luzon.
“We need a little more push in the NCR Plus area because the decrease has slowed down,” said De Guzman.
The independent OCTA Research Team on Wednesday warned shifting Metro Manila to modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) by June would still be premature despite the improved COVID-19 situation in the region.
OCTA Research fellow Guido David has said that instead of placing the capital region under MGCQ, Metro Manila should retain the GCQ classification for two more weeks, pointing out that NCR has yet to meet the DOH’s goal of lowering all figures to the pre-surge level of COVID-19 cases.
However, David said the new classifications by June may already allow more establishments allowed to open.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said there is a “likelihood” that the quarantine classification for NCR Plus will be relaxed in June.
Roque noted that the current average two-week attack rate, daily attack rate, and hospital care utilization rate in the bubble have been going down.
“There’s a likelihood that the quarantine classifications might be relaxed on the basis of formula but subject to the recommendation of Metro Manila that any further reopening should be gradual,” he said.
De Guzman yesterday sounded the alarm over the continuing surge in COVID-19 cases in the Visayas and Mindanao area as all regions have already manifested upward trends.
In a virtual press briefing, De Guzman expressed concern as all 9 regions in the Visayas and Mindanao have registered increase in cases in the past two weeks. Last week, De Guzman noted the growing numbers in 8 of the 9 regions in the Visayas and Mindanao, excluding Central Visayas.
In her briefing yesterday, De Guzman said DOH data shows growth in cases in Western Visayas (9%), Central Visayas (0.39%), and Eastern Visayas (24%).
The average daily attack rates in the three regions are also rising from 4.24 to 4.61 in Western Visayas, from 2.5 to 2.51 in Central Visayas, and from 1.47 to 1.82 in Eastern Visayas.
“All Visayas regions showing upward trend, with the fastest and highest for Region 6,” said De Guzman.
In Mindanao, statistics show that growth in cases in Zamboanga Peninsula (46%), Northern Mindanao (116%), Davao Region (52%), Soccsksargen (83%), Caraga (77%), and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (59%).
The average daily attack rates in the Mindanao regions are also rising from 4.73 to 6.88 in Zamboanga Peninsula, from 2.14 to 4.60 in Northern Mindanao, from 1.50 to 2.28 in Davao Region, from 1.80 to 3.30 in Soccsksargen, from 2.66 to 4.72 in Caraga, and from 1 to 1.59 in BARMM.
But aside from the Visayas and Mindanao regions, the DOH also reported a surge in some parts of Luzon.
DOH data shows growth in cases in Mimaropa (23%) and Ilocos Region (10%).
The average daily attack rates in the two regions are also rising from 3.74 to 4.61 in Mimaropa, and from 3.15 to 3.46 in Ilocos Region.
All international flights bound for the Mactan-Cebu International Airport are diverted to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport from May 29 to June 5, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said yesterday.
Medialdea, in a memorandum dated May 27, said the order stemmed from the IATF recommendation.
He said the diversion of flights is effective from 12:01 am of May 29 until 11:59 pm of June 5.
The Department of Transportation and the Manila Airport Authority shall ensure the smooth diversion of inbound flights.
In the same memorandum, Malacañang also directed the enforcement of all current testing and quarantine protocols issued and approved by the government for international travelers in all posts of entry regardless of the specific protocols implemented by local government units.
Meanwhile, ocal air carriers Philippine Airlines and AirAsia Philippines yesterday joined the call for the creation of a “green lane” to allow faster and easier entry for fully vaccinated inbound travelers to help revive the local tourism.
PAL supports current efforts by the Philippine government to explore revisions in arrival protocols, such as adopting a minimal quarantine period for fully-vaccinated travelers.
Gilbert Santa Maria, PAL president and COO said: “We look forward to easier entry for fully-vaccinated travelers as a way of jumpstarting the aviation, travel and tourism industries that support Filipino jobs and the economy. A good number of our passengers flying in from the US have completed their full vaccine doses. We could welcome more travelers from the U.S. and other countries with favorable epidemiological situations, such as Singapore, Australia, Israel and Korea.” — With Gerard Naval, Jocelyn Montemayor and Myla Iglesias
