President Duterte admitted that he could not further relax quarantine restrictions in the country or "remove the leash" on the people for now to avoid potential "horrible results.
"I’m sorry but I cannot really kumbaga bitawan ko kayo, I will remove the leash --- leash ‘yung tali. Pakawalaan na kayo kasi hindi ko kaya ang… The resultant happening or the resultant endgame there is too horrible to ponder," he said.
He insisted that the government's decisions are based on science. "I cannot make a guess. Governance is not made of guesses. It has to be anchored on pure science," he said.
The President said the country's quarantine status is "dynamic" and can change anytime depending on the severity of the coronavirus situation. Some places are "totally locked" while other areas are under modified quarantine and given "a little bit of leeway, an elbow room" for movement.
"You would want to know the places which have been declared modified or there’s been a change. But this is a very dynamic thing. It can change everyday depending on the numbers and of course upon the assessment of our health authorities," he said in his public address aired on state television early Wednesday.
Duterte had earlier decided to calibrate the opening of the economy and movement of people to avoid a rapid surge in infections. He said the country is still grappling with the first wave of transmission and cannot afford a "total epidemic or pandemonium" due to limited resources.
Except for Cebu City that is under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the country is either under the more relaxed general community quarantine (GCQ) or modified community quarantine (MGCQ) until July 15. The easing of the lockdown is part of the government's efforts to revitalize the stalled economy and livelihood of the people while stepping up containment efforts such as expanded testing.
In the meeting with task force members Tuesday night, the President let Health Secretary Francisco Duque III read the list of areas under community quarantine on state television.
According to Duque, Cebu City remains ECQ, the highest lockdown level enforced by the government, mainly due to fast infection rate and high critical care utilization rate.
He explained that Cebu City has become a place with high risk of infection after cases have doubled in less than seven days. At least 90.6 percent of the isolation beds and 84.46 percent of the intensive care unit beds in the city are now used that put the area "at very high risk," Duque said.
Concerned officials from Cebu City and other state agencies have already been advised to step up containment strategies, particularly testing, isolation, contact tracing, and treatment, according to the health chief.
"So ito po ay mariin na sinusunod po ng leadership ng Cebu City. Kaya we will be reporting in the next meeting with you, Mr. President, showing a downward trend in the number of cases," Duque said.
The President said the government issued warnings to the people of Cebu but they were "nonchalant" during the critical days of the disease outbreak. He said some Talisay residents were seen partying and gambling outside their houses.
"I’m a Cebuano and I have every reason to be concerned about the welfare of the province of my father," he said. "Ang akong kuwan sa inyo is gahi mo’g ulo (You are very stubborn)," he added.
Apart from Metro Manila, Duque said Benguet, Cavite, Rizal, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Leyte, Ormoc, Southern Leyte, Talisay City and the municipalities of Minglanilla and Consolacion in Cebu province are under GCQ. The rest of the country is under the more relaxed MGCQ.