Tondo 1 next Manila district under hard lockdown

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso confirmed on Wednesday that the most densely populated district in the city — Tondo 1 — would also be placed on “hard lockdown” for 48 hours.

In a press briefing, Domagoso did not give an exact date, only saying that it would happen within the week to give way to mass testing among residents for the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Tondo 1 is the second district to be placed on a 48-hour hard lockdown after Sampaloc, which has recorded the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city. Of the 509 cases in Manila, 103 are from Sampaloc, followed by Tondo 1 with 81 cases.

During the 48-hour period, residents would not be allowed to go out of their houses with all quarantine passes considered void.

Domagoso, however, assured them that they would be prioritized in the distribution of relief packs before the hard lockdown.

“We will give ample time for the people to prepare and at the same time for us to extend additional assistance to aid the needs of [our constituents],” he said.

—NIKKA G. VALENZUELA