ILIGAN CITY – Lanao del Sur and Marawi City will revert to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from its present status of modified general community quarantine starting Monday, September 7.
This was due to the sudden rise in the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, and the prevalence of local transmission in these areas.
Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal 'Bombit' Adiong disclosed that this was agreed upon following his meeting with the National Task Force against COVID-19 Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE), which is led by Chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr., in the latter’s visit here September 4 at the Second Mechanized Infantry Brigade headquarters based in Barangay Maria Cristina.
Adiong said he had been requesting the return to MECQ since the first week of August.
"Kaya ngayon pinayagan naman tayo ni Secretary Galvez na i-implement na iyong MECQ while inaantay iyong official communication from the national IATF,” he added.
Adiong also said that, with the shift to MECQ, the entry of local stranded individuals (LSIs) in Lanao del Sur and Marawi City will be lessened.
"Kaya medyo mababawasan na iyong LSI na dumarating sa LDS and Marawi City", he said.
An average of 275 LSIs has been arriving in Lanao del Sur and Marawi daily. A total of 13,000 LSIs has returned to the province ever since the pandemic broke out.
Adiong also underscored that a stricter quarantine will allow frontliners to rest.
"Kaya nag request tayo ng ganyan para medyo magpahinga muna iyong mga kababayan nating mga frontliners... kasi most probably magsilayas na ang mga yan, kaya hindi na natin pweding i-control o i-contain itong sakit na ito kung aalis iyong mga frontliner," he said.
An executive order will be issued soon to make the shift to MECQ official, Adiong added.
There is a total of 370 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the province, with 114 active cases, as of Saturday.