The local government of Manila clarified that the city is only preparing for a possible lockdown, and that no decision has been made regarding the matter.
The LGU made the clarification after a memo was circulated on social media ordering the city’s barangay bureau to prepare for a possible implementation of enhanced community quarantine.
In an interview with DZMM on Thursday, Manila Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan confirmed that the city memo circulating on social media is true, but underscored that the memo clearly stated that it was in preparation for a possible lockdown.
Pangan said Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso called for an emergency meeting on July 28 and instructed concerned offices to be prepared in case there will be a surge of COVID-19 cases in the city due to the Delta variant.
The vice mayor said the Manila Barangay Bureau (MBB) was ordered to be “on alert” and inform all barangay chiefs in case the implementaion of a lockodwn will be needed in the city.
“Kung mapapansin naman ninyo po doon sa kanyang ginawang memo, ang nakalagay po doon ‘for possible lockdown.’ Lagi pong instruction ng ating pong alkalde, palagi po dapat handa ang pamahalaang lungsod ng Maynila, inuunahan na po namin (If you notice, in the memo, it says ‘for possible lockdown.’ The instruction of our mayor is that the city government must always be ready, we should be ahead),” Pangan said.
Pangan said the viral memo was not meant for general circulation, and should just be given to the barangay chiefs.
“Yung iba po sigurong punong barangay para po mas makarating po sa kanilang mga nasasakupan ay minabuti na po nila i-post na rin po sa social media (The other barangay chiefs probably thought that they could reach their constituents better if they post it on social media),” she said.
The vice mayor also said that the actions to be done in the viral memo were the same measures implemented by the local government whenever the city was placed under ECQ.
Domagoso, for his part, said he will let the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) speak on the matter of lockdown implementation.
Metro Manila will remain under the general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions from August 1 to 15.