Abalos: NCR needs no curfew, our streets are mostly empty like Holy Week

MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos. Image from MMDA / PIO chief Sharon Gentalian

MANILA, Philippines — Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benhur Abalos on Tuesday said that there is no need for the return of curfew in the National Capital Region, saying the streets and malls in the metropolis are empty which resembles the situation every Holy Week.

In a phone interview with INQUIRER.net, Abalos also said the reimposition of curfew is not necessary because people are now “self-regulating.”

“People right now, they know how to self regulate,” he told Inquirer in a phone interview. “People know when to isolate themselves and when to be careful.”

“As what I could see, sa EDSA I was surprised sa CCTV cameras, akala mo talaga mahal na araw eh. Walang katao-tao, [even] at five o-clock at a mall on Friday,” he recalled.

“It means one thing — people are self-regulating on their own, and that is a strong statement,” he continued.

Abalos also clarified that there are no talks of reimposing the curfew in Metro Manila for adults. However, he clarified that there are local governments with ordinances imposing curfew for minors even before the pandemic.

“There’s no such thing on the table right now with the Metro Manila Council (MMC), we are not talking about it,” Abalos said of the reimposition of curfew. “However, we still have ordinances of curfew for minors even before the pandemic.”

The MMC lifted the unified curfew in Metro Manila in November last year.

Pandemic monitor OCTA Research said Metro Manila is currently in a “severe outbreak” of new coronavirus infections.

Metro Manila has been placed on Alert Level 3 until January 15 in light of notable increases in new COVID-19 cases.

The MMC, composed of mayors in 16 cities and one municipality in Metro Manila, also agreed that it is not necessary to place the metropolis under Alert Level 4.

JPV