MANILA, Philippines — Senior citizens who are still in the workforce and those who live alone will be allowed to go out in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) starting May 1, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Thursday.
“Alam natin na may mga senior citizens na mga active, mga nagtratrabaho dyan, yan yung mga tinatawag nating namamahala sa mga malalaking kumpanya, mga executives, bibigyan natin sila ng exemption. Pagka linya sa trabaho, pwede silang lumabas,” DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said in an interview over dzMM.
(We know that there are senior citizens who are still active, still working. They manage the big companies, they’re the executives. We will give them an exemption. If it is in line with work, they are allowed to go out.)
“Yun naman mga seniors na walang naman silang kasamang mas nakababata, they’re just living alone, mga retired, pwede rin silang lumabas para naman sila ay makabili ng pagkain or makabili ng anumang bagay na kailangan nila,” he added.
(Senior citizens who do not have younger companions, they’re just living alone, those are retired, they are allowed to go out so they can buy their food and other necessities.)
Under GCQ regulations earlier announced, several businesses excluding those involved in leisure and entertainment are allowed to partially operate.
However, those who are aged 60 years old and above are not allowed to leave their homes to protect them from contracting the coronavirus.
“Alam naman natin na vulnerable sector itong senior citizens. Ayon sa analytics, kapag tinamaan yung ating mga senior citizens, almost 80 percent ay namamatay. Kaya napaka delikado, kailangan alagaan natin sila,” Año said.
(We know that senior citizens belong to the vulnerable sector. Based on analytics, 80 percent of senior citizens who contracted the disease die. It’s really dangerous and we have to take care of them.)
“Pero yung mga wala namang dahilan, may mga kasama naman sila, please naman ‘wag na kayong lalabas kasi hindi talaga biro itong COVID kapag ang tamaan ay senior citizens,” he added.
(Those who do not have a reason to go out, they have companions at home, please do not leave your homes because COVID is not a joke especially when it is contracted by senior citizens.)
Several groups and lawmakers lamented the guidelines barring senior citizens from going out of their homes even after relaxing the quarantine measures in “low-risk” areas for coronavirus transmission.
Earlier, Año said senior citizens living alone should also obtain their own quarantine passes to buy their basic needs.
As of Wednesday, there are 8,212 confirmed COVID-19 cases nationwide, with 558 deaths and 1,023 recoveries.