San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora said on Thursday that he is in favor of easing the quarantine status of Metro Manila to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) on May 15 from the more restrictive Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ).
Zamora said that his decision was made after the Metro Manila Council (MMC) had a meeting yesterday to discuss the Metro Manila mayors' recommendation for the next quarantine classification of the National Capital Region (NCR).
"I personally voted for a GCQ because the discussions last night were really to have a GCQ that is strict in nature because there were GCQs before that had additional allowances, meaning in terms of allowable businesses and industries which made it a not so strict GCQ." Zamora said during an interview with CNN Philippines.
He added that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases will meet with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) regarding the MMC's recommendation.
"The IATF will be meeting today (May 13) and MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos will be submitting the Metro Manila Council's recommendation, but as far as I'm concerned, the way it was presented last night was if ever we'll do a GCQ, it can be somewhat a very strict kind wherein the original GCQ we had before can be followed." Zamora said.
Zamora added that if the NCR will shift to GCQ, the public must not be complacent in following the minimum public health and safety protocols such as the wearing of face masks, face shields, and social distancing, especially with the entry into the country of the more contagious India variant of the virus.
Makati City Mayor Abby Binay said yesterday that the MMC is “united in its position” to gradually ease quarantine restrictions.
READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2021/05/12/mmc-united-in-position-to-gradually-ease-quarantine-restrictions-mayor-binay/