Belmonte: No more mass gatherings in Quezon City

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government is poised to ban mass gatherings as it declared a state of calamity following the “community quarantine” order of President Rodrigo Duterte over Metro Manila in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19.

In a press briefing, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said such rule would be among other measures that would be included in an Executive Order they are drafting to detail the guidelines to implement the community quarantine, which Duterte eventually called a lockdown.

The city directive might be released within the day, according to Belmonte.

“After the announcement of the President last night, I called a meeting this morning of all the department heads and I will be issuing by the end of this day—and we will furnish a copy hindi lang umabot ngayon—ang isang executive order kung saan ay mas bibigyan pa natin ng ngipin ‘yung lahat ng nakasulat dito sa una nating memorandum circular,” Belmonte said.

(After the announcement of the President last night, I called a meeting this morning of all the department heads and I will be issuing by the end of this day and we will furnish a copy we were just not able to—an executive order wherein we will give more teeth to those already stated in the initial memorandum circular.)

In the memorandum circular, mass gatherings are merely discouraged. Belmonte, however, said mass gatherings would be strictly prohibited this time under the impending executive order.

Mass gatherings may include fiestas, medical missions, graduation, etc.

“Kumpleto na po iyang executive order na iyan including—and I would like to stress—prohibition, I will be prohibiting mass gathering, events, ‘yung mga iba’t-ibang uri ng pagtitipon-tipon kung saan nagsasama ang mga maraming tao,” the city mayor said.

(The executive order is complete including and I would like to stress—prohibition, I will be prohibiting mass gathering, events, and other forms of gatherings attended where many people would converge.)

Belmonte earlier placed Quezon City under a state of calamity, which would allow the local government to utilize its quick response funds.

Belmonte explained such a declaration is important so that the city government and barangays would be able to quickly take appropriate measures such as disinfection of communities, supervision of persons under monitoring (PUMs) and persons under investigation (PUIs), and setting up of isolation rooms, among others, to combat COVID-19 and its transmission.

“[The declaration of state of calamity] is not something I would like to do, but I think it is something that has to be done in order for us to adequately empower our barangays to address the issues in their respective jurisdictions,” Belmonte said.

KGA