Daily Covid-19 cases in Metro Manila down to 500: DILG exec

FILE: A man clad in personal protective equipment (PPE) rides his electric scooter along Aurora Boulevard in Quezon City on Thursday (Oct. 15, 2020). (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

MANILA – There has been a significant decline in the daily number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections in Metro Manila in the past days, an official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Friday.

“Kino-congratulate ko ang ating (mayors) sa NCR (National Capital Region) dahil for the last seven to 10 days, ang infections po dito sa Metro Manila ay nasa three digits na lamang. Before, (nagre-range sila ng) 2,000 to 3,000 a day. Nitong huling pito hanggang sampung araw, nag-aaverage na lang po sila ng 700 to 800 (cases) a day. In fact kahapon, 500 plus na lamang ang infections sa Metro Manila (I congratulate the NCR mayors because for the last seven to 10 days, the daily number of Covid-19 infections here in Metro Manila is now down to three digits. Before, it ranges from 2,000 to 3,000 a day. For the past seven to 10 days, there is only an average of 700 to 800 cases per day. In fact yesterday (Thursday), we only have over 500 infections here in Metro Manila),” said DILG Undersecretary for Operations Epimaco Densing III in a Laging Handa briefing.

Densing is optimistic that this would be sustained through the public’s continued compliance with public health protocols.

“(Ito ‘yung) paghuhugas ng kamay, pagsusuot ng face mask, social distancing, paglalagay ng face shields at may bagong (pahayag) po ng ating Department of Health na kailangan lahat ng mga establishments, dapat maganda ang (Hand washing, wearing of face masks, social distancing and also wearing face shields plus the Department of Health’s recent pronouncement that all establishments should have a good) ventilation system,” he added.

He added that local government units are free to implement additional health and safety protocols “as long as these are what we call reasonable inputs” and that these will not hamper efforts to revive the economy.

Meanwhile, Densing said local government units in Metro Manila, except for San Juan City, remain firm in their position to maintain the 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew hours despite the easing of quarantine restrictions.

“At the end of the day, assessment po ito ng ating mga local chief executives or mga mayors kung kailan nila pagagaaanin ‘yung curfew pero hinihikayat po natin na
kapag medyo maganda na ang sitwasyon, ‘yung ating mga health protocols ay nasusunod na, bumababa na rin po yung mga infections on a daily basis, puwede na siguro magluwag ng (it would be based on the assessment of our local chief executives or mayors if they want to ease curfew but we encourage them to do so if the situation becomes better, once health protocols are completely observed, and infections are decreasing on a daily basis, I think we can ease the) curfew rules,” he said.

Early this week, San Juan City shortened its curfew hours, which is now from midnight to 5 a.m.

The issue of shortening curfew hours came as Filipino Catholics look forward to ‘Simbang Gabi’ (dawn Mass) as part of Christmas celebration in the country.

“We recognize how important this tradition is for the people.

In fact, this early, we are talking about that so we would have a clear policy on how these would be observed in the celebration of Christmas while we ensure that Covid-19 will not spread,” he added.