Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The government is mulling of a “big possibility” that the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine may be extended from 15 to 20 more days due to surging cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the National Task Force (NTF) COVID-19 chief implementor Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said Saturday.
Galvez, also the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, first said that based on “scientific analysis,” the enhanced community quarantine has effectively slowed down the spread of the disease.
“Gusto ko po ipaalam sa publiko na maganda po ang nagawa ng lockdown,” he said in an interview over radio station DZBB. “Nagkaroon po kami ng scientific analysis na nai-slowdown ng lockdown ang spread ng virus.”
(I just want to inform the public that the lockdown has had good results. We had a scientific analysis that this slowed down the spread of the virus.)
“So with that, ang nakita po namin, isa sa mga malaking possibility na magkaroon po tayo ng extension ng 15 days or maybe 20 days para po masustain natin sa ngayon po, medyo umaakyat pa po,” he added.
(So with that, what we see is big possibility of an extension of 15 days or maybe 20 days so we can sustain it because as of now, cases are still increasing.)
As of Saturday, the Department of Health reported 3,094 cases of the viral disease, of which 57 recovered while 144 succumbed to the disease.
To contain the spread of the virus, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered to place the entire Luzon under a period of enhanced community quarantine.
The lifting of the quarantine period is scheduled on the midnight of April 13.
Cabinet Secretary and Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for Emerging Infectious Diseases spokesperson Karlo Nograles, in a press briefing, bared the parameters on the possible total or partial lifting, or extension of the enhanced community quarantine.
However, Galvez added that the final decision for an extension will still be up to President Rodrigo Duterte.
“‘Yun po ang pinag-uusapan po sa taas pero hindi po natin pwedeng i-preempt yung desisyon ng ating mahal na Presidente [That is what being talked about, but we should not pre-empt the decision of the President],” he said.