PRRD mulls MECQ, 2 other options in Metro Manila, Cebu

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte updates the nation on the government’s efforts in addressing the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on May 4, 2020. TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA – President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is weighing in on three options for the new quarantine classification to be implemented over Metro Manila and Cebu by June 16.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte could retain the general community quarantine (GCQ) classification in both areas, place them in the least strict modified GCQ (MGCQ), or return them to more strict modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

“Bahala po ang Presidente kasi binabalanse naman po natin iyong ekonomiya at sapat naman po iyong kakayahan nating magbigay ng medical care doon sa mga magkakasakit nang critical, iyong critical care capacity natin (It would be up to the President because we are balancing the economy and enough capacity to provide medical care for critical patients),” he said in an interview over DZBB on Saturday.

MGCQ is the lowest level of community quarantine imposed by the government before the shift to the new normal.

Under MGCQ, public gatherings would be allowed up to 50 percent of the venue’s capacity and more transport options would be available.

Roque, however, said the high number of cases in Metro Manila and Cebu do not seem to deem a transition from the current GCQ to MGCQ.

“It’s a gamble po na hinayaan na natin ang Presidente na magdesisyon (that we’re letting the President decide),” he said.

Earlier, Roque ensured that the country is ready to enforce the new quarantine rules by June 16.

He said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) had already informed the local government units (LGUs) about the possible quarantine reclassifications in their respective localities.

Duterte is set to announce the new quarantine classifications in the country on June 15.

He was supposed to meet with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) in Davao City last Thursday (June 11) but decided to move the meeting to Monday in Manila.

On June 13, a total of 607 new Covid-19 cases were reported in the country, bringing the total to 25,392 cases with 1,074 deaths and 5,706 are recoveries.

Metro Manila has the most number of Covid-19 cases at 5,706 while Cebu City has 3,361 infections as of June 12.

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella wanted Cebu City to remain under GCQ after June 15.

Five regions including the National Capital Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Central Visayas, the provinces of Pangasinan and Albay and the cities of Zamboanga City, Davao City, Cebu City and Mandaue are under GCQ until June 15. The rest of the country is under MGCQ.