Manila to impose 48-hour ‘hard lockdown’ in Tondo District 1

MANILA, Philippines — The Manila City government will place the entire District 1 of Tondo under a 48-hour “hard lockdown” this week due to the consistent quarantine violations of residents there and the rise of COVID-19 cases in the district.

“Yes, (due to) quarantine violations and higit sa lahat, mataas ang presence ng COVID-19 carriers and PUIs (patients under investigation) in the area,” Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said in a text message to INQUIRER.net on Wednesday, when asked to confirm if the hard lockdown will be imposed in the “entire” Tondo.

But in a later press briefing, Moreno clarified that only District 1 of Tondo will be placed under hard lockdown.

“Buong District 1. Kasi dalawa ang Tondo for purposes of guidance, May District 1 Tondo, may District 2 Tondo, but this is District 1. Ito ang largest in terms of population. Ito ‘yung most dense in terms of area per square kilometer. Tondo 1 tayo,” he said.

(The entire District 1. Tondo is composed of two districts for purposes of guidance. There is District 1 and there is District 2, but this is [for] District 1. This is the largest in terms of population. It’s the densest in terms of area per square kilometer. This is for Tondo 1.)

He said the setup will be the same as the lockdown imposed earlier in Sampaloc. The lockdown in Sampaloc was implemented from 8 p.m. Thursday, April 23, until 8 p.m. Saturday, April 25.

“May additional exemptions lang with regard to basic commodities and logistic area,” he said, adding that the local government will finalize on Thursday the measures for the lockdown.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel, Moreno said the lockdown will be imposed “definitely this week.”

As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, the number of COVID-19 cases in the capital city has reached 659 with 15 new active cases of infection. Of this number, 60 have died, while 90 have recovered.

Manila also has 955 COVID-19 “suspects” and 11 “probable” cases, according to data from the Manila Health Department.

In Tondo’s District 1 alone, the recorded number of active COVID-19 cases reached 81—the second-highest number of cases among all districts in Manila next to Sampaloc, which has 103 active cases. Twelve residents in Tondo’s District 1 have died of the coronavirus disease while seven have recovered.

Meanwhile, 51 active cases are recorded in Tondo 2. Five individuals there have died and seven have recovered.

EDV/MUF