BATANG MAYNILA By MAYOR ISKO MORENO Mayor Isko Moreno First of all, I, in behalf of my whole family and the city of Manila, would like to express our sincerest and deepest condolences to the bereaved family of Senator Tessie Aquino Oreta who on Thursday passed away at the age of 75. My condolence goes specially to Malabon City Mayor Antolin “Lenlen” Oreta, who happens to be a friend of long standing. Len-Len and I have been friends from the time that he was a city councilor until he rose to become the city’s vice mayor and now mayor. His mother, the late Senator Oreta, was a member of the Senate for 12 years and of the House of Representatives for three full terms. She served the country really well and with utmost dedication and we thank her for this. May she rest in peace and I enjoin all of you to join me in praying for the eternal repose of her soul.

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While we welcome the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) putting Manila under “modified ECQ (enhanced community quarantine),”  I strongly appeal to all the residents of our beloved city — this latest development is definitely no  reason for any of us to let our guard down, in any way, against COVID-19. In fact, I call on Manila residents to even be extra careful and more cautious,  since the number of COVID-19 cases is expected to surge with the city now placed under MECQ. Do not ever mistake this development to mean that everything is now okay and that COVID is gone. Among other effects, the MECQ will pave the way for certain businesses to once again become operational, little by little, which is good for our city because people will now be able to work once again. While it’s undeniable that COVID-19 remains in our midst and is still deadly, we need to find a way to move on and face the challenges posed by the virus on our very existence. I don’t like hibernation. I don’t like stagnation. While we try to bounce back and confront the continued virus situation, there is a need to bear in mind that the threat of COVID-19 continues to be in our midst so we have to really be extra careful and not have any false sense of safety or immunity. In line with the MECQ, we in the city government will be launching action plans that will serve as a guide for all to heed, hopefully as we enter the phase of what is now known as “the new normal.” This is important in the wake of an unfortunate report from the Department of Health (DOH) no less, which says that at least 12 percent of asymptomatic cases in its list comes from Manila. These are virus carriers who seem normal on the outside since they do not manifest any symptoms and are therefore totally unaware that they are already infecting others who come into contact with them. The usual mandatory rules on physical distancing, frequent hand washing, wearing of face masks, and staying home as much as possible can do a lot to help keep you and your loved ones safe from the virus. We have to accept that all these, among others, are the new norms that we have to follow day in, day out, until a definite cure is found against the coronavirus. There should be no room for complacency. In the absence of a cure, we all continue to be at risk, including our families and communities, so we have to be really  extra cautious whenever we step out of our homes and even while within the confines of our homes. While we in the city government  will be establishing a system to better take care of the residents and keep them safe from getting the virus, the citizens should also do their share and know that COVID-19 will already be a part of our daily lives in the meantime. Our priority now, aside from aggressive tracing, testing and treating those who may be infected, is formulating ways as to how the city government, the residents, and communities can function effectively and lead their lives for the rest of the year without sacrificing utmost safety. While we plan ahead of time, the success of such plans will largely depend on the residents, whose daily mindset and actions will be the basis of said government plans. As usual, I stress that we will only succeed if each and every Manilan will cooperate fully.

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Gaya ng paulit-ulit  kong sinasabi, kailangan ko ang tulong ninyong lahat. Walang magmamalasakit sa Maynila kundi tayo ding mga Batang Maynila. Manila, God first!

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For updates on latest developments in the city of Manila, please visit my Facebook account — ‘Isko Moreno Domagoso.’