Quirino governor sees MECQ as necessary

CABARROGUIS, Quirino—Although saddened by President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to keep the province of Quirino on modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), Gov. Dakila Carlo Cua said he believed it was necessary to keep residents safe from COVID-19, a deadly disease that still has no known cure.

The province has been on MECQ since last April 1 and this was extended until May 31. MECQ is the second most stringent quarantine classification in the Philippines.

Quirino currently has 130 total active COVID-19 cases with 62 deaths and 23 new infections.

Under tight watch are the towns of Maddela with 130 active cases, Cabarroguis with 54 cases, and Diffun with 49 cases.

The towns of Saguday and Nagtipunan have 27 active cases each.

Cua said the ban on alcoholic drinks would stay while villagers leaving the province would need travel pass and health declaration papers that would be effective for only 24 hours.

Restaurants are allowed to offer dine-in services but only at 10 percent capacity, Cua said at a press briefing on Friday (May 14).

“Strict home quarantine shall be observed in all households,” the governor said.

“People authorized outside residences shall be limited to accessing basic and essential goods and services, as always,” he said.

TSB