Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go urged the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to review and reconsider its decision to relax age restrictions in areas still under the modified general community quarantine or MGCQ.

Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, issued the statement after the IATF said it will allow children aged 10- to 14-years-old to go out beginning Feb. 1.

“I am appealing to the IATF to review and reconsider its recent decision to relax age restrictions in MGCQ areas which will allow children aged 10 to 14-years-old to go out beginning Feb. 1,” Go said in a statement.

“Huwag muna tayo magkumpiyansa, lalo na pagdating sa kalusugan ng mga kabataan dahil delikado pa po. Responsibilidad nating proteksyunan sila. Sa lahat ng desisyon natin, isaalang-alang natin palagi ang buhay at kapakanan ng bawat Pilipino (Let’s not be complacent especially when it comes to the health of our youth because it is still dangerous. It is our responsibility to protect them. In all our decisions, let us consider the life and welfare of each Filipino),” the senator stressed.

Go said the IATF should be more careful following the reported new cases of the COVID-19 UK variant spreading in Mountain Province.

“Kung hindi naman po kailangan, huwag munang payagang lumabas ng bahay ang mga bata dahil delikado pa po ang sitwasyon. Hilaw pa at maaga pa para luwagan (If there’s no need, let’s not allow the children to leave their homes because the situation is still risky. It’s too early to decide to relax the rules),” he said.

“Bakit naman tayo magmamadali, eh hindi pa nga nakapag-umpisang magbakuna? Kung magluluwag tayo ng patakaran ngayon, tapos tataas naman ang kaso, mas mahihirapan po tayo (Why are we in a hurry when we haven’t even started any vaccination? If we are going to relax the restrictions at this point, and the cases suddenly surged, we would all have a hard time dealing with it),” the senator reiterated.

Citing the report of the Department of Health (DoH), Go reminded that of the 16 new cases of the new COVID-19 variant in the Philippines, three of these persons are minors or below 18-years-old, the youngest of which is only five-years-old.

“I am asking authorities to further strengthen the enforcement of health protocols, especially in public areas,” he said.

“Habang sinisigurado ng ating gobyerno na magkakaroon ng sapat, ligtas at epektibong bakuna para sa lahat, kaunting tiis lang po, mga kababayan ko. Patuloy po tayong magbayanihan (While the government is making sure we have sufficient, safe and effective vaccines for all, let’s try to be a little more patient. Let’s continue to help each other and cooperate),” Go said.

“Ang simpleng mga patakaran na ito, kung susundin, ay makapagliligtas ng buhay ng kapwa nating Pilipino (If we follow even simple protocols like this, it can greatly save more lives of fellow Filipinos),” Go added.