Further lockdowns will be heavy burden on Pinoys: Palace

MANILA – Filipinos will have to endure a heavy burden in case the government continues to restrict public movement amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, Malacañang said on Friday.

“Ang katotohanan niyan, ‘yung further lockdown talagang mas mahirap para sa ating kababayan (The truth is, further lockdown will make it more difficult for our fellow countrymen),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press conference held in Ilocos Norte.

Roque made the admission, a day after President Rodrigo Duterte said he could not let the Philippines be on strict mode “forever”.

In a speech delivered Thursday in Negros Oriental, Duterte revealed his plan to further reopen the Philippine economy soon to help Filipinos cope with the impact of Covid-19 pandemic.

Duterte also said the further easing of quarantine measures in the country is possible, once the number of Filipinos who have received Covid-19 vaccines reaches one million.

Roque backed Duterte, saying the government wants a shift to the “new normal” since it already knows how to deal with the coronavirus.

“Let’s just say na after one year, alam na natin ang anyo ng ating kalaban. At alam na natin kung paano tayo mabuhay sa kabila ng Covid-19 (Let’s just say that after one year, we already know our enemy. We already know how to live despite the Covid-19 pandemic),” he said.

Roque said Duterte might consider relaxing further the community quarantine in the country by April.

“So, I think ang tinitignan natin ay kung pupuwede na tayo lalong magbukas pa ng ekonomiya pagdating po ng buwan ng Abril (So, I think, we will assess whether we can afford to further reopen our economy by April),” he said.

Amid plans to allow more sectors to resume operations, Roque reminded the public to continue following minimum public health standards.

Under the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Resolution 102 approved Thursday, all Filipinos are still required to wear face masks and face shields “appropriately.”

Filipinos are also mandated to wash hands for “at least 20 seconds each time,” ensure the observance of social distancing and proper ventilation, and reduce time of interaction with people, according to IATF-EID Resolution 102.

Metro Manila, Apayao, Baguio City, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Batangas, Tacloban City, Iligan City, Davao, and Lanao del Sur are under general community quarantine (GCQ) until March 31.

The rest of the country stays under the least restrictive modified GCQ (MGCQ).