Caloocan City, Pateros mayors want MECQ to stay beyond May 14

Al fresco diners enjoy their meals minding safety and health protocols at the designated outside dining area of restaurants in SM City North Edsa in Quezon City, as Metro Manila remains under modified enhanced community quarantine or MECQ until May 14, 2021. INQUIRER/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — The mayors of Caloocan City and Municipality of Pateros are backing the extension of the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in the so-called National Capital Region (NCR) Plus bubble.

Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan, however, said Wednesday that while he wants MECQ to remain, some restrictions should be loosened up.

“Ako, personally, ang sasabihin ko kung pwedeng MECQ, medyo luwagan na lang nang kaunti sa MECQ, ay manatili tayo sa MECQ,” he told Teleradyo in an interview.

(I, personally, I will say if possible MECQ, but loosen it up a bit.)

Malapitan cited as a reason the still high number of  COVID-19 incidence nationwide.

“Hindi pa natin talaga nakukuha ‘yung talagang pagbaba,” he said.

(We have not really achieved the actual drop [in cases].)

Meanwhile, Pateros Mayor Miguel Ponce III also said he personally wants MECQ to stay in NCR “because the problem is not over yet.”

“As for me alone, if I would be asked on quarantine restriction in the next few weeks, I would still prefer the existing MECQ because I believe that the problem is not over yet and we still have a serious problem that we have to address in the coming days,” he said in a separate interview with ANC.

According to Malapitan, the Metro Manila Council is set to decide on Wednesday night regarding its recommended quarantine classification to the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) as the MECQ in NCR Plus bubble will only be until May 14.

“Mamayang gabi meron kaming meeting ng Metro Manila Council na kung saan tatalakayin namin ito at pagbobotohan na ‘yun ang ire-recommend namin sa IATF,” he said.

(The Metro Manila Council will meet tonight where we will discuss and vote on the quarantine classification that we will recommend to the IATF.)

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