No timeline yet on lifting Covid-19 restrictions: Lorenzana

MANILA – It is still too early to put a timetable on when coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) restrictions will be lifted as the country has yet to vaccinate a large part of its population, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Wednesday.

“Mahirap pang maglagay ng timetable ngayon or timeline kung kailan natin i-ilift yung restrictions dahil unang-una ay hindi pa malaking numero yun atin nabakunahan at hindi pa tayo makaka-acquire ng herd immunity (It is still very hard to set a timetable or timeline on when the restrictions will be lifted as we are still to vaccinate a large number of our population and we are still to acquire herd immunity),” said Lorenzana, who is also chairperson of the National Task Force against Covid-19, in a virtual pre-SONA media launch.

Lorenzana said he would want to have quarantine restrictions lifted to alleviate the suffering of Filipinos but the current situation justifies the need for it.

“Kaya lang dapat tayong makining sa mga eksperto, sa mga doktor, mga expert yan at alam nila yun mga charateristics ng mga virus na ito. Hindi lang namin basta sinasabi na lockdown, kinokonsulta namin sila. So hanggang hindi natin mabakunahan yung 50 percent ng ating population ay baka manatili ‘yung restrictions na di naman kasing-grabe nung ECQ (enhanced community quarantine). (We should heed the experts, especially the doctors, they are experts and they know the characteristics of these viruses. We don’t just order or call for a lockdown, we consult them on that. So until we vaccinate 50 percent of our population, these restrictions will stay but not on the same level as the ECQ),” he added.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) is implementing four quarantine classifications — the strictest enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), modified ECQ (MECQ), general community quarantine (GCQ), and the most relaxed modified GCQ (MGCQ).

The National Capital Region and the provinces of Rizal and Bulacan are under GCQ with “some restrictions” while the provinces of Cavite and Laguna are under GCQ with “heightened restrictions” from July 1 to 15.

The GCQ status is also in effect for the entire month of July over Apayao, Baguio City, City of Santiago, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Batangas, Quezon, Guimaras, Aklan, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Antique, Capiz, Zamboanga Sibugay, City of Zamboanga, Iligan City, General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Cotabato, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Cotabato City.

Cagayan, Bataan, Lucena City, Puerto Princesa, Naga City, Iloilo City, Iloilo, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Cagayan de Oro City, the entire Davao region, Butuan City, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Sur are under MECQ until July 15.

The rest of the country is under MGCQ until the end of the month.

Meanwhile, Lorenzana said if not for the Covid-19 pandemic, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) would have acquired more equipment as part of its modernization program.

He also added the program is still ongoing but the pandemic has resulted in a delay in the acquisition of additional and more capable ships for the Navy and aircraft for the Air Force which is urgently needed for the transport of personnel and supplies nationwide.

Lorenzana also added that the Department of National Defense (DND) has already programmed the acquisition of two brand-new C-130 cargo planes and that it has already been approved by the House of Representatives.

Also, he said that documents for its procurement are being prepared right now.

Aside from the C-130s, the DND is also finalizing the procurement of fighter jets for the Air Force and other additional aircraft.