Downgrade quarantine status in NCR, Cebu City? Año says there is possibility

FILE PHOTO –  Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año. INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Wednesday said there is a possibility that the quarantine status in Metro Manila and Cebu City may be downgraded but it would still depend on their data.

“It depends on the data analytics but of course, there is a possibility. Kailangan lang talaga i-observe ang guidelines from protocols (We just need to observe guidelines from protocols.),” Año, vice chairman of National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19, said in an online press briefing on Wednesday.

President Rodrigo Duterte extended the general community quarantine status of National Capital Region while Cebu City remains under enhanced community quarantine until July 15. 

“Lahat naman gusto natin maka-graduate ang LGU (local government unit) sa present classification into a lower classification because we really need to open our economy so let’s just wait and see the data later on and then we can get the data from the President,” he added.

(We all want LGUs to graduate from their present classification into a lower classification because we really need to open our economy so let’s just wait and see the data later on and then we can get the data from the President.)

Meanwhile, NTF chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. said they received recommendation from 17 Metro Mayors that they prefer that the less strict GCQ should be maintained until July 15.

“Nung nakausap ko yung mayors, yung MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) ang recommendation pa rin nila is GCQ. Kasi nga nakita natin ang na marami na tayong experience sa Manila kapag nakita mo ng konti angat, nawawala ang vigilance ng mga tao,” Galvez said.

(I talked to the mayors, MMDA and their recommendation is GCQ. Because we already have many experiences from Manila that if there is less strict quarantine, public vigilance diminishes.)