Malacañang has branded the rumored nationwide lockdown covering both Christmas and New Year as "fake news," but Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said he wouldn't mind it if it was real.
" Yes I would support a lockdown for those dates, if there was a proposal," Barbers said Thursday, "If only to prevent a gathering of people where a possible carrier of the COVID-19 virus could become a super spreader and trigger a mass transmission of virus."
While such a lockdown might be unthinkable for ordinary Filipinos given how cherished Christmas season is locally, Barbers said it might be the prudent thing to do given the pandemic.
"For me it will be worth the sacrifice to strictly observe a stay at home rule for Christmas and the New Year. We can't afford an enormous spike in infections which would definitely carry over to 2021 if we aren't careful enough. Let's not shoot ourselves in the foot," the Mindanao solon said.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque recently denied rumors of a nationwide lockdown that would supposedly be implemented from December 23, 2020 to January 3, 2021.
The National Capital Region or Metro Manila is among the handful of areas in the country will remain under general community quarantine (GCQ) until December 31, as earlier declared by President Duterte. The rest of the country is currently under the less stringent modified GCQ (MGCQ).
The GCQ status is two steps below the strictest lockdown protocol, which is the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
Barbers said that he would personally suggest a nationwide lockdown of not more than 48 hours each beginning on Christmas Day and New Year's day.
"Let this be an opportunity to spend time with our families during the holidays in this very challenging 2020. We are closer than ever to getting a vaccine, in fact vaccinations have begun in United Kingdom," noted the Committee on Dangerous Drugs chairman.
"A little prudence will go a long way. Konting tiis na lang (Just a little more perseverance)."