Parañaque City mayor favors one-week MECQ extension in ‘NCR Plus’

 (Screengrab from Radyo Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez on Tuesday said he is in favor of a one-week extension of the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

“Sa amin pong pagpupulong sa local task force, nirerekomenda po nila, hindi po two weeks, one week na lang po extension ng MECQ then we assess,” Olivarez said in an interview over Teleradyo.

(In our meeting with the local task force, they recommended a one week extension, not two weeks of MECQ, then we assess.)

“Kasi hirap na hirap na nga ang taumbayan. Pero yung two weeks, tingin ko po, sa akin po personal, masyado pong matagal po yan. Dapat po one week lang tapos magkaroon ng assessment uli para maibaba natin ang quarantine sa GCQ [general community quarantine],” he added.

(The people are already having a hard time. But two weeks, in my opinion, is too long. It should only be for one week then we have another assessment to possibly ease the quarantine status to GCQ.)

Olivarez said Paranaque City’s hospital and isolation facilities aheb an occupancy rate of70percent.

“Compared to two weeks ago na halos 100 percent po kami. So bumaba sya ng 30 percent pero nandoon pa rin sya sa critical level,” he said.

(Compared to two weeks ago, we were almost at 100 percent. So it decreased by 30 percent but it still remains at the critical level.)

National Capital Region mayors have yet to reach a consensus over their recommendation on the quarantine status for May, but are expected to decide this Tuesday, said Olivarez who is also chairman of the Metro Manila Council.

Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite and Laguna remain under MECQ until April 30.  

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