General Santos City in South Cotabato could be placed under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) due to the increasing number of cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), said Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Tuesday.
(NTF AGAINST COVID-19 / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Gen San tinitingnan natin (We are looking at Gen San),” said Año during an interview over CNN Philippines.
He said General Santos City is closely being watched along with Bacolod City, Iligan City, and Lanao del Sur.
“Tumataas yung cases nila pero kokonti yung kanilang health care capabilities (Their cases are rising but their health care capabilities are low),” he said.
Bacolod City, Iligan City, and Lanao del Sur are currently under MECQ, while Gen. Santos City remains under the general community quarantine (GCQ).
Año identified the fishport of Gen. Santos City as the main source of the rise in cases in the area.
“Yung ating fish port kasi doon talaga nagkakaroon ng maraming gathering at saka nagkakaroon ng mga violations sa physical distancing (The fishport there has many gatherings and violations of physical distancing),” he added.
“We’re thinking of creating a task force composed of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and PNP (Philippine National Police) at dalawang local government units para ipatupad yung protocols sa fishport (and local government unit representatives to enforce the health protocols at the fishport),” he said.
“Hopefully, matulungan natin yung Gen San mapababa yung numero nila (Hopefully we can help Gen San reduce the number of their cases),” Año added.