Provincial leaders welcome extended lockdown

NO SOCIAL DISTANCING As cases continue to increase in Davao City, the local government now focuses on densely populated urban settlements to prevent the further spread of the disease. —KARLOS MANLUPIG

A number of localities allowed to ease strict quarantine rules want to remain on lockdown, as most local governments outside Metro Manila welcomed the extension of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in areas still at high risk for the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Places like President Rodrigo Duterte’s hometown Davao City that were preparing to ease the ECQ held off the scale back move after they were identified as among the high risk areas that have to remain in isolation until May 15.

However, cities like Puerto Princesa, Zamboanga and Naga—which were allowed to transition to general community quarantine (GCQ) by May—would rather maintain strict lockdown rules even under the GCQ.

Cebu City, on the other hand, accepted the extended lockdown as a confirmation of its earlier decision to continue its ECQ up to May 15.

Mayor Sara Duterte of Davao City, which was to ease strict quarantine rules after April 26, said it was “sad” that the ECQ measures would have to remain but they were bound to follow the national Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging and Infectious Diseases (IATF). As of April 23, Davao has 98 cases, 51 of whom have recovered while 17 had died.

“We cannot go against the classification of areas by the national government because the response and assistance will be based on this,” she said.No to GCQ

In Zamboanga City, Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, said the ECQ in the city would remain in place even as the IATF had categorized the entire Zamboanga Peninsula as an area with low to moderate risk for COVID-19 infection.

Salazar said the current COVID-19 cases in the city still called for stricter quarantine rules. City health officer Dr. Dulce Miravite added Zamboanga could not be categorized as low risk as it still has two COVID-19 patients in the hospital and a rising number of COVID-19 suspects. The city had nine confirmed cases, with one death; and 267 COVID-19 suspects, 120 of whom were admitted in a hospital. Of the 120, 34 were discharged and 42 had died.

Mayor Nelson Legacion of Naga City in Camarines Sur province also questioned the Palace’s decision for his city to transition from ECQ to GCQ, given that there were seven COVID-19 cases in his province, five of which in Naga City.

Legacion said the city would recommend to the IATF to extend the ECQ over Camarines Sur, noting that two of the latest cases were confirmed only on April 21 and 22.

In Palawan, Gov. Jose Alvarez said that the island province would follow the declaration that they were now under GCQ status but that the intermunicipal travel ban would have to be “carefully studied,” saying there could be adverse health implications if it would be eased.

In Pampanga, businessmen were disappointed that the ECQ in the province was extended, as they had expected a “more relaxed” quarantine by end of April.

‘Side with extreme caution’Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales said it was understandable that business owners and employees were frustrated “but the only way to control the spread of the virus is through the enhanced community quarantine.”

Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. said the extension was needed. “It’s true we are a high-risk area. The number of infections continues to rise.”

City of San Fernando Mayor Edwin Santiago said the extension gave local governments time to prepare for the next wave of assistance.

Pampanga Gov. Dennis Pineda said the ECQ extension would also allow the province to conduct mass testing.

In Pangasinan, where the ECQ was extended, the provincial health office has proposed to Gov. Amado Espino III measures that would ease pressure on the business community but at the same time retain the blockade at the provincial borders.

KILL TIME Persons in contact with coronavirus patients from Legazpi City, Albay province, stay at the Ibalong Centrum for Recreation as they wait for their test results. —MARK ALVIC ESPLANA

In Albay province, Vice Gov. Edcel Grex Lagman welcomed the extended ECQ, saying it was better to “side with extreme caution because we do not have all the science we need at this point in time.”

Aside from Albay, which has 25 confirmed COVID-19 cases, Catanduanes was also placed under the extended ECQ due to a single case.Right direction

In Iloilo, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said there is no other way to contain the virus other than to keep people inside their homes and to limit their movement.

“That (ECQ extension) is also the direction that we want, and we welcome that. We, in Iloilo, just want to sustain what we have started. We do not want to let our guards down. But we just want to make adjustments in the local economy within the parameters of the ECQ so that the present levels of quarantine measures are sustainable,” he said in a text message to the Inquirer.

Gov. Rogelio Espina of Biliran province said the extension could help solve the threat posed by COVID-19. Biliran, comprising of eight towns, remains to be COVID-19 free but Espina placed his province under GCQ until May 30 to protect his constituents.

In Negros Occidental, Gov. Eugenio Lacson planned to extend the ECQ for a week after April 30 before heading for GCQ.

In Cebu City, Mayor Edgardo Labella already prolonged the lockdown period to May 15 even before it was announced by the IATF, with cases in the city reaching 352 as of April 24.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia placed the province under ECQ on March 30 “until further notice.” —REPORTS FROM KARLOS MANLUPIG, JULIE ALIPALA, TONETTE OREJAS, YOLANDA SOTELO, ROMAR MIRANDA, MICHAEL JAUCIAN, ANTHONY OSTRIA, JOEY GABIETA, NESTOR P. BURGOS AND CARLA P. GOMEZ