MALACAÑANG yesterday rallied Metro Manila residents to strictly follow quarantine and safety protocols as it warned the National Capital Region (NCR) may revert back to the stricter modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) by the end of July if it fails to bring down the number of cases and transmission of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the region.
Metro Manila will stay under the general community quarantine (GCQ) classification until July 31, presidential spokesman Harry Roque announced late Wednesday night.
President Duterte on Wednesday night approved the retaining of Metro Manila and several regions, cities and provinces under GCQ and the downgrading of Cebu City to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from July 16 to 31.
Roque said the President agreed to retain GCQ in Metro Manila following the appeal made by National Action Plan against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on behalf of Metro Manila mayors.
Roque said Duterte had initially said yes into placing Metro Manila under MECQ on the recommendation of health experts and members of the scientific community who said the region should be placed under stricter quarantine rules to slow down the spread of the COVID-19.
The President, according to Roque, changed his mind after Galvez and Año assured him that Metro Manila mayors would strictly implement localized lockdowns in areas with high cases of COVID-19 and intensify their testing, tracing, and treatment (T3) activities, among others.
“So pumayag po ang ating Presidente na huwag munang ibalik ang Metro Manila sa MECQ sa susunod na dalawang lingo,” Roque said.
He warned, though: “Pero malinaw po sa diskusyon na kapag hindi pa rin po napabagal an ang pagkalat ng COVID sa Metro Manila, posible pong bumalik sa MECQ pagkatapos po nitong dalawang linggo (It is clear in the discussions that if spread of the COVID is not slowed down in Metro Manila, it will be reverted back to MECQ after two weeks).”
To better monitor the situation in Metro Manila and other areas under GCQ under, local governments units are directed to submit daily trend of active cases, number, and percent of population; cases in community isolation facility versus health facility; percent of close contacts traced and percent of contacts in quarantine; number and utilization of isolation beds; accomplished health system capacity targets and utilization; and COVID Special Teams investigations and results.
Roque said at present the case doubling rate in NCR is between seven to nine days while the intensive care unit (ICU) bed utilization remains at dangerous level.
He urged the public, especially those in Metro Manila to cooperate with government if they want to retain the GCQ level.
METRO MANILA
Año said Metro Manila residents should be prepared for stricter implementation of quarantine protocols even with the retention of the region’s GCQ classification.
Año said Metro Manila mayors, during a meeting last Sunday with the IATF, committed to be stricter in their implementation of stay-home guidelines and safety protocols if their proposal to retain GCQ is approved by the President.
“Nakita kasi ng ating Pangulo ‘yung patuloy na pagtaas ng numero ng mga bagong cases at ito pa rin ‘yung National Capital Region ang pinaka nangunguna. At sabi nga ng Pangulo ay gusto nyang maghigpit (The President saw the continuing rise of the number of new cases and National Capital Region remains to be the frontrunner. And the President said he wants to be stricter),” he said.
Año said he told the President of the commitment made by metro mayors, who also vowed to give businesses the chance to reopen while strictly observing quarantine protocols.
He said the mayors promised to let workers go to work but they will be strict against people who are out in the streets without essential missions.
“Kaya ekspekin natin na magkakaroon tayo ng paghihigpit dito sa National Capital Region at pinaalalahanan na natin yung ating mga kababayan natin dito na sumunod sila sa mga panuntunan (So expect that we will be stricter here in National Capital Region and we are reminding our people here to follow the rules),” said Año.
“Kailangan talaga ay magbantay tayo dahil pagka hindi tayo maging maingat at hindi tayo sumunod, baka bumalik tayo sa ECQ nito (We have to be vigilant because if we are not careful and if we don’t follow the rules, we may go back to ECQ),” he added.
QUARANTINE LEVELS
Other areas that are under GCQ are the provinces of Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, Southern Leyte, Agusan del Norte and Basilan; the cities of Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Ormoc, Zamboanga, Butuan, and Talisay; and the towns of Minglanilla and Concepcion in Cebu province.
Placed under the medium risk modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) are Benguet, Baguio City, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, La Union and Dagupan City, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac, Zambales, Angeles City, Batangas, Quezon, Lucena City, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Puerto Princesa City, Albay, Masbate, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, and Naga City in Luzon.
Under the medium risk MGCQ in the Visayas are Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Capiz, Antique, Aklan, Guimaras, Iloilo City, Bacolod City, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Cebu Province, Western Samar, Leyte, Biliran, and Tacloban City.
In Mindanao, under the medium risk MGCQ are Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Cagayan de Oro City, Iligan City, Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao de Oro, Davao City, Sultan Kudarat, Cotabato, South Cotabato, General Santos City, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Island, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao.
The rest of the country, which is described to have low rate of infection, is under low-risk MGCQ.
MECQ IN CEBU CITY
Roque said Cebu City was downgraded to the MECQ following a slowdown of cases, local transmission and deaths.
He said the recommendations of Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, Galvez and Año were considered.
“Although case doubling rate… has declined in Cebu and critical care more or less has eased…It was deemed best to put it only on MECQ and not yet on GCQ, because we don’t know if the trend will hold. Because if you look at the data of Cebu, it’s almost like a roller coaster, sometimes the death will shoot up, sometimes it will not. Meaning, that intense community transmission is still ongoing in Cebu,” he said.
He added that the situation in Cebu City and other areas in the country would be reassessed after two weeks.
Roque and Health Secretary Francisco III said minimum health standards such as wearing of masks, frequent hand washing and social distancing shall be strictly implemented in all areas including areas that are under the low risk MGCQ.
Roque said the President had inquired with experts, some of them from the University of the Philippines (UP) who were invited as resource persons, if the economy can already be opened amidst the rising number of COVID-19 cases.
He said the UP team said it is possible provided that strict localized lockdowns are implemented, intensified testing, tracing, and treatment are done; and people belonging to vulnerable sectors stay as “home-liners.”
DOS AND DON’TS
The Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, through Resolution 55-A, said areas under GCQ should observe zoning containment strategies, strict enforcement of minimum health standards, and intensified tracing and quarantine of close contacts and isolation of confirmed cases.
The IATF also approved the recommendation to ensure the complementary increase of the business sector’s capacity vis-a-vis available transportation to revitalize the economy in the NCR and the Calabarzon, with the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Transportation as lead agencies.
Roque said in areas under GCQ, malls are allowed to continue to operate but still subject to health protocols while dine in operations in restaurants would be increased from 30 percent to 50 percent starting July 21.
He said public gathering is still limited to a maximum of 10 persons in GCQ areas while churches are allowed to open up to 10 percent of its venue capacity.
Roque said in areas under MGCQ, inter-region travel should be allowed to boost the reopening of the tourism industry. — With Victor Reyes
