{"id":264379,"date":"2020-08-07T00:02:11","date_gmt":"2020-08-07T04:02:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=264379"},"modified":"2020-08-07T00:02:11","modified_gmt":"2020-08-07T04:02:11","slug":"we-will-bring-down-covid-19-cases-during-mecq-govt-to-ncr-execs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2020\/08\/07\/we-will-bring-down-covid-19-cases-during-mecq-govt-to-ncr-execs\/","title":{"rendered":"We will bring down Covid-19 cases during MECQ: Gov\u2019t to NCR execs"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
FILE: A cyclist shows an ID to a Cainta police officer manning a checkpoint along Felix Avenue in Cainta, Rizal on Wednesday (August 5, 2020). (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

MANILA<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 The government vowed to use the 15-day modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) it imposed on Metro Manila Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna to prevent the further surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) transmissions and reduce the number of positive cases.<\/p>\n

This was the commitment made by members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and the National Task Force (NTF) against Covid-19 during a recent virtual meeting with Metro Manila mayors.<\/p>\n

\u201cPangatawanan natin itong<\/em>\u00a015 days\u00a0na ito para makabalik tayo sa<\/em>\u00a0GCQ (Let us take advantage of these 15 days to return to general community quarantine),\u201d Interior Secretary and NTF Vice Chair Eduardo A\u00f1o told the local chief executives, according to a news release issued on Thursday.<\/p>\n

National Policy Against Covid-19 Chief Implementer Carlito G. Galvez Jr. cited the importance of securing timely and accurate data, especially in crafting policy guidelines and recommendations.<\/p>\n

Galvez encouraged the local government units (LGUs) to work closely with the IATF and NTF, especially in sharing vital information that would help the government improve its anti-coronavirus prevention and mitigation measures.<\/p>\n

\u201cInformation is the only determinant for our decision-making process. Kailangan na mayroon tayong (We should have) collaborative data collection,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Responding to health workers\u2019 needs<\/strong><\/p>\n

The reimposition of the MECQ on the NCR and four Luzon provinces came after health care workers called for a \u201ctimeout\u201d, as hospitals across the country are starting to be overwhelmed by the increasing Covid-19 cases.<\/p>\n

In response to this call, the Department of Health (DOH) said it is in the process of hiring more health care workers to augment the current medical workforce deployed to government-run and private hospitals across Metro Manila.<\/p>\n

Based on the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte, private health care workers shall also receive a risk allowance, life insurance, free accommodation, free transportation, as well as free and frequent Covid-19 testing under the proposed \u201cBayanihan 2\u201d Act.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur health care workers are the most important people fighting Covid-19. We owe a lot to them, so we will also do our best to ensure that their needs are met,\u201d Galvez said.<\/p>\n

New MECQ guidelines<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unlike the previous imposition of MECQ on Metro Manila, tricycles will now be allowed to ply their routes, provided only one passenger is on board.<\/p>\n

Back riding in motorcycles will also be permitted if they have the IATF-approved barrier installed.<\/p>\n

Curfew is still in effect in Metro Manila from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., while several cities, such as Manila and Makati, did not impose a liquor ban.<\/p>\n

\u201cAng<\/em>\u00a0essence\u00a0ng<\/em>\u00a0(The essence of) MECQ is for everyone to stay home. We expect\u00a0bababa ang<\/em>\u00a0(to bring down) cases during this period (after we detect, isolate, and treat the positive cases),\u201d A\u00f1o said.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno pledged to continue intensifying the city\u2019s contact tracing efforts in line with the IATF\u2019s guidance to LGUs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have always followed what you said\u00a0na tuluy-tuloy lang naming palakasin ang<\/em>\u00a0(that we will continue to strengthen) contact tracing. We will do that and more,\u201d Moreno said.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, who is also isolation czar, assured the mayors that the government is working double-time to build more isolation facilities to cope with the rising number of infections.<\/p>\n

\u201cTuloy-tuloy lang kami ng<\/em>\u00a0(We will continue) building ng isolation facilities. Kung may kailangan po kayo request lang po (Just inform us if you have any request). The sooner the better,\u201d Villar said.\u00a0(PR)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MANILA\u00a0\u2013 The government vowed to use the 15-day modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) it imposed on Metro Manila Bulacan, Rizal, …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":264380,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,95],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-264379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","category-news-ph","mauthors-philippine-news-agency"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/264379","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=264379"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/264379\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":264381,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/264379\/revisions\/264381"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/264380"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=264379"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=264379"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=264379"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}