MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has taken back the government’s decision to allow individuals aged 10 to 65 to go outside their homes in modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) areas.
In a pre-recorded speech aired Monday night, Duterte expressed concern over the new Covid-19 variant that has already been detected in some parts of the country.
“Yung restrictions na lifting the age for 10 to 14 age group sa MGCQ areas na palabasin na ‘yung mga 10 to 14, I am compelled. It has nothing to do with their incompetence, not at all. Ang akin is a precaution because there is or there was or is a [variant] discovered in the Cordillera that is very similar to the [variant] dito sa United Kingdom,” Duterte said.
“Balik ho kayo sa bahay muna. Besides 10 years old to 14…10, 11, 12 pwede na sila sa TV. They can glue their attention sa TV the whole day. Pasensya na po kayo. Mine is just a precaution. Takot lang ako kasi ‘yung bagong [variant] strikes the children,” he added.
Earlier, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases said children as young as 10 residing in MGCQ areas or the most lenient quarantine measure will be allowed to go out starting February 1.
So far, there are 17 persons in the Philippines who have been confirmed infected with the UK variant of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19.
The first confirmed case is a 29-year-old male patient from Quezon City who recently traveled to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Of the 16 other cases, 12 are from Bontoc in Mountain Province, two are returning overseas Filipino workers from Lebanon, one from Laguna and one from La Trinidad in Benguet.
“Just to be sure and in our desire to protect our people napilitan akong ireimpose yung [restriction sa] 10 to 14. Not at this time. It’s a sacrifice for the parents and for the children,” Duterte said.