FILE Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello II at a news briefing, November 5, 2018 — INQUIRER PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines — Despite the suggestions of different sectors to extend the implementation of modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) over Metro Manila and adjacent provinces, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III wanted to further ease down the quarantine classification to general community quarantine (GCQ).
Bello said on Wednesday that since he is “pro-labor” and “pro-employment,” he thinks areas under the “NCR Plus” should be placed under GCQ as many workers were not able to go to work due to the tighter quarantine protocols.
“Ang aking personal [opinion] ay sana i-GCQ na. Pero ang magdedecide, ang IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) ang magbibigay ng recommendation sa ating pangulo, na siya naman ang mag-approve sa recommendation ng IATF,” he said in an interview over ABS CBN’s Teleradyo.
(In my personal opinion, I want to lower it down to GCQ. But the IATF would decide and give its recommendation to the president and he will approve the recommendation of the IATF.)
The IATF met on Tuesday to discuss the quarantine classifications for May. President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to announce new quarantine classifications for May on Wednesday during his public address.
Earlier, the OCTA Research, which monitors the COVID-19 trends in the country, urged the government to extend the MECQ for a week.
Treatment czar and Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega favored the extension of MECQ. Meanwhile, Metro Manila mayors have agreed to recommend “flexible” MECQ. — Liezelle Soriano Roy, Trainee
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