Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso said the one-week extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) will help slow down the alarming increase in COVID-19 infections in the Greater Manila area.
"It will help any sort of discipline being implemented like lockdown, granular lockdown. It was tested and proven na nakakatulong ito na mapabagal 'yung (it can help slow down the) infection," Domagoso said in an interview with CNN Philippines on Monday (April 5).
"So, itong ECQ, this will help and I hope maganda maging epekto (it will have a good outcome) and we always hope for the best," he added.
On March 29, Domagoso said the ECQ can be extended if it is needed to curb the alarming increase in COVID-19 cases in the country.
“Kung kinakailangan (If we need it to) i-extend based on data, dapat natin (we must) i-extend because we value life,” Domagoso said when he was asked if the ECQ should be extended in the NCR.
READ MORE: Mayor Isko: ECQ can be extended if needed
ECQ in the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal was first imposed on March 29 until April 4 but was extended for another week from Monday (April 5) to April 11.
Domagoso assured his constituents that they will receive a monthly food subsidy from the city government with or without the quarantine categorization.
The city government launched on Feb. 20 its COVID-19 Food Security Program (FSP) which aims to give 700,000 families a monthly food subsidy and to help curb hunger in the city amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
READ MORE: Manileños to get food boxes with or without ECQ – Mayor Isko