Sotto: Palace, IATF ‘handcuffed’ on reimposition of maximum lockdown

MANILA, Philippines — The executive department was “handcuffed” in ensuring a balance between the economy and public health when it stopped short of placing Metro Manila back to an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), Senate President Vicente Sotto II said Monday.

Sotto told reporters during an online interview, “I think the executive department, particularly the IATF (Inter-agency Task Force), they’re handcuffed. Talagang they have to balance the economic impact so they found a middle ground which is the MECQ (modified enhanced community quarantine).”

Following the plea of the medical community, President Rodrigo Duterte approved the reimposition of MECQ in Metro Manila and some nearby provinces as COVID-19 infections continue to rise nationwide.

“It’s practically almost an ECQ but meron lang mga ina-allow na mga industryies na tumakbo pa rin. Like ‘yung mga pa-shuttle, allowed. And then the food deliveries and health protocols, tuloy pa rin,” Sotto went on.

“For the government to go back to MECQ is already giving in, although they could not give in totally because of the economic impact na baka totally ma-devastate tayo,” he added.

Nevertheless, Sotto stressed that the public’s welfare and health are still of utmost importance.

“It’s been said and I’ve said this before: Ang ekonomiya, kayang buhayin ‘pag namatay, ang buhay ng tao [kapag nawala] hindi kayang buhayin,” the Senate president said.

On the other hand, Sotto said the Filipino people could take it upon themselves to heed the call of the healthcare workers and opt to stay inside their homes to prevent further transmission of the virus.

“Those who can heed the call of the medical professionals then let’s do it. Mag-ECQ tayo. ‘Yung mga pwedeng mag-ECQ, mag-ECQ,” he said.

As of August 2, cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines surpassed the 100,000-mark as over 2,000 infected people nationwide have died.

KGA