MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision not to ease the country’s quarantine status without the Covid-19 vaccine rollout is a “timely” and “responsive” move, an independent research group said Tuesday.
Dr. Butch Ong of the OCTA Research Team said it was right to defer the shift to modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) considering the slight increase in new reported Covid-19 cases.
“This is a timely, responsive move na hindi muna mag-open ng industries,” Ong said in a televised briefing.
(This is a timely, responsive move not to open more industries.)
“Tamang tama din ang pahayag na hindi muna magoopen up or mageease ng restrictions ng quarantine dahil nakakita tayo ng bahagyang pag-increase [ng Covid cases],” he explained.
(This pronouncement not to ease restrictions is correct because we observed a slight uptick in Covid cases.)
Over the weekend, OCTA reported that there is a slight upward trend in new Covid-19 cases in Metro Manila.
The President had rejected the proposed shift of the entire country to MGCQ while the government has yet to start vaccinating against Covid-19.
While the President recognizes the importance of reopening of the economy, Malacañang said Duterte “gives higher premium to public health and safety.”
Acting socioeconomic planning Secretary Karl Chua had recommended the country’s shift to MGCQ in a bid to address hunger and job loss among Filipinos.