Palace asks for understanding after flip-flop on NCR’s quarantine status

Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Friday sought understanding after the government recalled its decision to pilot test granular lockdowns in Metro Manila, sowing confusion to the public, especially to business owners.

Metro Manila was supposed to downgrade to general community quarantine (GCQ) and pilot test granular lockdowns where restricted movement in small areas with high COVID-19 cases.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) recalled this decision and instead extended modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in the region amid the continuously high number of new COVID-19 cases.

“Well, all I can say is that the debates are continuing and we’re aiming to provide the best alternative to a hard lockdown. So hindi po madaling proseso iyon, humihingi po kami ng pag-intindi galing po sa publiko,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press briefing.

(Well, all I can say is that the debates are continuing and we’re aiming to provide the best alternative to a hard lockdown. It wasn’t an easy process and we ask for public understanding.)

“Alam ko po hindi dapat nagpi-flip flop dahil kinakailangan ng predictability,” he also said.

(I know there should be no flip-flopping because there needs to be predictability.)

READ: Quarantine flip flop unleashes pandemic of confusion, frustration

After the “flip-flop,” the government eventually approved to pilot run in Metro Manila the new strategy of either imposing ECQ or GCQ with the alert level system.

READ: Gov’t trims down NCR quarantine classifications to ECQ, GCQ

Its implementation is targeted to start on September 16.

READ: Gov’t eyes pilot testing of NCR quarantine alert system on Sept. 16