Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año advised the public to brace for a far more stricter enforcement of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila compared to its previous implementation.
In an interview over GMA News, Año warned violators of the minimum health protocols may be arrested as more police officers will be deployed in crowded places and in areas with records of numerous violations.
“Mas mahigpit tayo ngayong ECQ na 'to. Ang tawag nga natin hard lockdown. Kung may makikita diyan (violator), talagang aarestuhin ng ating mga pulis (We will be stricter in this ECQ. We brand it a hard lockdown. If there are any violators, the police will surely arrest them),’’ Año said.
However, Año clarified that the violators will initially be accosted and will only be arrested if they still ignore the police’s instructions.
He added that the penalties for the violators will be based on the existing ordinances of the local government units (LGUs).
During the August 6 to 20 ECQ, Año revealed that the goal is to administer about four million vaccines in the Nation Capital Region (NCR) with the capacity of healthcare facilities such as intensive care units and isolation centers to be enhanced to accommodate more patients.
He noted that contract tracing and isolation of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) cases will be improved during the two-week ECQ in Metro Manila explaining that the stricter measure seeks to prevent more transmissions of the COVID-19 Delta variant.
Initially health experts wanted up to four weeks of hard lockdown but due to economic concerns Año said the government decided to impose it for two weeks only.
After the ECQ period, the government will assess the COVID-19 situation to determine if it will be extended or not.
Ayuda
To ease the financial woes of the people during the two-week ECQ, the government has assured that P1,000 will be provided to each qualified individual for a maximum of four family members.
However, people mostly in the depressed areas complained that the ayuda (cash aid) is insufficient especially for those with families with many children.
They said that the government should find ways to raise more funds to prevent their families from growing hungry.
Even tricycle drivers lamented the hard times made more financially difficult with the restrictions being imposed by the government due to COVID-19.
“Alam namin na may COVID at delikado ito pero napakahirap ng lagay namin. Pwera pa kami sa ayuda dahil daw may tricycle kami. Dati kaya kitain hanggang isang libo kada araw ngayong maswerte na maka tatalong daam ako. Upa ng bahay tatlong libo kada buwan, bayad sa ilaw at tubig panggastos pa sa pagkain at maintenance ko at ng misis ko sa high blood at diabetes. (We know that there is COVID-19 and it is dangerous but times are very hard for us. We were excluded from the ayuda since we drive tricycles as our source of livelihood. In the past, My earning runs up to P1,000 per day but now, I am lucky to earn P300. My rent is P3,000 per month. I still have to pay for the electric and water bills. And set aside a budget for food and my and my wife’s maintenance medicines for high blood pressure and diabetes,’’ a tricycle driver who only gave his name as Biboy.
He also appealed to the government to provide people like tricycle drivers to be provided with the ayuda stressing that they too are financially distressed like the others.
Another tricycle driver emphasized that the local government units (LGUs) should severely penalize barangay officials who played favorites and listed the unqualified names of the ayuda recipients who are mostly their relatives and supporters.
He noted that the circuitous process of bringing their complaints to the grievance committee of the LGUs have discouraged them from elevating their case to the LGUs.
“Ang hirap ng proseso. Aksaya sa oras. Imbis na nagtatrabaho kami ubos oras mo sa pagrereklamo (The process is very difficult. It is just a waste of time. Instead of us working our time is wasted in complaining),’’ the tricycle driver said. (Chito A. Chavez)