Mayors in Metro Manila are urging the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to suspend its decision allowing minors from five to 17 years old in outdoor areas in the National Capital Region (NCR) because of the threat of the highly contagious Delta variant.
Metro Manila Council Chairman and Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez confirmed that the Metro Manila mayors unanimously decided to recommend to the IATF the deferment of its decision.
Olivarez, in an interview with Teleradyo, said the youngsters who are now allowed outside of their residence have not been vaccinated yet and could be the one to spread various variants of COVID-19.
"We are already thinking that the Delta variant is here. We are ready for the worst," he added.
Muntinlupa City Mayor Jaime Fresnedi said a resolution by the Metro Manila Council (MMC) will be issued later.
During President Rodrigo Duterte’s online briefing Monday night, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benhur Abalos Jr. confirmed the decision of Metro Manila mayors regarding the issue.
Abalos said Metro Manila local government units (LGUs) are ready to implement measures to prevent the spread of the Delta variant, a strain of SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), that was first identified in India.
He said local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila are ready to implement measures to prevent the spread of the Delta variant, a strain of SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that was first identified in India.
Due to concerns about the Delta variant, Abalos said, Metro Manila mayors voted Monday and they agreed to ask the IATF to suspend the policy about minors being allowed to go outdoors in areas in the NCR.
“One last thing, Mr. President, you mentioned a while ago that the Delta variant is very aggressive, very infectious and Sec. Duque said that NCR cases are increasing and we have three cases of Delta,” said Abalos.
Abalos added, “We voted earlier, the mayors talked to each other and we would like to ask the IATF that, if possible, the policy regarding five-year-olds and above can perhaps be suspended for the meantime in Metro Manila because we have cases here and it slightly increased.”
During the briefing, Duque said last week, the Department of Health (DOH) detected 16 new Delta variant cases in the country including three cases in the National Capital Region.
As of July 15, the DOH has reported that there are a total of 35 Delta variant cases in the country based on the sequencing done by the University of the Philippines’ Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC) on 8,557 samples.
Of the samples, 3,424 virus variants have been detected: 1,481 Alpha variants, 1,685 Beta, 35 Delta, two Gamma and 221 Theta.
Last July 8, the IATF issued Resolution No. 125, deciding that “in areas under Modified General Community Quarantine and General Community Quarantine except those under heightened restrictions, children five (5) years old and above may be able to go to outdoor areas...provided that the child is supervised by adult/s and is in observance of minimum public health standards such as the wearing of face masks and social distancing.”
The IATF resolution allowed LGUs to “increase the above age restriction of children depending on the COVID-19 situation in their respective jurisdictions.”
According to the IATF, children five-year-old and above are now allowed in outdoor areas such as parks, playgrounds, beaches, biking and hiking trails, outdoor tourist sites and attractions as may be defined by the Department of Tourism, outdoor non-contact sports courts and venues, and al fresco dining establishments in areas under MGCQ and GCQ except in those with heightened restrictions.