Senator Maria Lourdes "Nancy" Binay on Saturday, Jan. 23, appealed to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to reconsider its decision allowing those aged 10 to 65 years old to leave their homes even as the spread of the deadly coronavirus disease (COVID-19) remains uncontrolled.

"Syempre medyo nababahala na sa Bontoc may positive sa UK variant. Baka dito sa Manila marami na pala, hindi lang na test ng Genome center, kasi may limitation din naman sa sequencing (We are apprehensive that Bontoc already has positive cases of the COVID-19 UK variant. Manila may have more UK variants but are not tested at the Genome center because there are limitations in sequencing),’’ Binay said during a radio interview.  

"Talagang nakakabahala (It is truly concerning)," Binay said.  The IATF order becomes effective Feb. 1.

"Para sa akin, dapat pag isipan uli ng IATF ang pag-lift sa 10 years old and above na makapasok sa mall. Kung titignan natin sa ibang bansa, nag lockdown na uli gaya sa Hong Kong, wala galawan sa Kowloon, what more tayo, (For me, the IATF should reconsider its order allowing those 10 years old to 65 years old to enter malls. Other countries have re-imposed lockdowns such as in Hong Kong... the movement of people is not allowed in Kowloon. What more in our country?)" she said. 

Binay, chairwoman of the Senate science and technology committee, noted that the new Philippine policy relaxes its rules while other countries are imposing stricter lockdowns."Tayo nagbabaligtad (In the Philippines, it is the opposite)," she said, expressing her fears that the government might not be able to control when there is an outbreak. "We cannot afford another lockdown."   

Binay asked what would 10-year-old children do at the malls. She even questioned the logic behind this policy by citing the ban on the young from attending classes at schools but they are now allowed to roam the malls.