THE Inter-agency Task Force for the Management on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) and Metro Manila mayors have unanimously recommended to President Duterte the downgrading of the current modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) classification of the National Capital Region (NCR) to general community quarantine (GCQ) but with stricter implementation of protocols, including granular lockdowns in places with high cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque bared this yesterday a few hours before the President was expected to announce the new community quarantine classifications for the NCR, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite and Laguna, which have been placed under MECQ until August 18.
Roque said the recommendation was to be submitted to the President on Monday night during a virtual meeting between the Chief Executive and members of the task force.
The meeting was to be followed by Duterte’s “Talk to the People” address.
“Let’s just say unanimous naman po ang recommendations ng IATF at ng mga Metro Manila mayors kay Presidente (Let’s just say the recommendations of the IATF and Metro Manila mayors to the President is unanimous),” Roque said.
The health community and academe had been calling for an extension of the lockdown to a whole month to give the already overwhelmed healthcare system a breather. Several government officials, however, had warned against an extension due to its impact on the economy, especially after the country entered into a recession in the second quarter due to work stoppages and community lockdowns in the past months.
Metro Manila Council (MMC) spokesman and concurrent Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) general manager Jojo Garcia said metro mayors want a stricter implementation of quarantine guidelines after August 18.
These include, among others, the mandatory wearing of face shield in all public places such as shopping malls, supermarkets, public markets and other places of convergence.
Garcia said MMC also asked the IATF to come up with a uniform curfew period, which local executives want to start at 8 p.m.
Garcia said local executive leaders are preparing for two quarantine levels — MECQ and GCQ.
If Metro Manila is downgraded to GCQ, he said mayors will adopt previous quarantine guidelines under the relaxed lockdown level that was implemented last June 1 in terms of economic activity, but will still impose a ban on public transportation.
“We believe and trust the wisdom of the IATF because it has a complete data, the members can discuss all the aspect such as on health, economic, and transportation,” Garcia said.
The metro mayors’ position aired their sentiments to IATF members during Zoom meeting Sunday night. Those who were present in the meeting were Secretary Eduardo Año of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), testing czar Vince Dizon and National Task Force chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. — With Noel Talacay
