In this August 20, 2020, photo, passengers wear face shields and face masks along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, as the Department of Transportation issued a memorandum directing all public transport passengers to wear face shields and face masks. This covers public transport passengers in the sectors of aviation, maritime, road, and railways, in a bid to ensure protection against the spread of the COVID-19. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez is hoping to keep the country’s COVID-19 numbers controlled to increase the “likelihood” of Metro Manila shifting to a more lenient community quarantine by January 2021.
“We’re hoping with the continuing good numbers of Metro Manila and other nearby areas, we’re hoping that the numbers continue even during the December Christmas season so that by January, there’s a likelihood that we can be a modified GCQ [general community quarantine],” Lopez said Wednesday in an online briefing.
“I’m not saying na definite iyon. There’s a likelihood. It will be data-based, pag-aaralan ulit ‘yung situation,” he added.
Metro Manila is under GCQ for the month of December along with Batangas, Iloilo City, Tacloban City, Lanao del Sur, Iligan, and Davao City.
But because of the upcoming holidays, authorities and even President Rodrigo Duterte are appealing to the public to skip festivities to avoid the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the latest variant of coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
“But certainly, if we’re able to manage this improvement in our health statistics, certainly there will be more openness as to the community quarantine or if not, assuming GCQ pa rin, there could be other sectors that could be allowed to open,” Lopez said.
“When I say sectors, maybe I’m referring more to the market segment, the age, kasi as far as industry sectors are concerned, halos open na lahat,” he added.
It would be a “big boost” to the economy once restrictions on age are further eased, Lopez said.
The government’s COVID-19 task force earlier allowed persons aged 15 to 65 years to go out of their homes in any level of community quarantine.
But in Metro Manila, minors or those 17 years old and below are not allowed entry inside malls.