Local chief executives in the provinces have been showing interest in adapting the quarantine alert level system after its successful implementation in Metro Manila, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año Monday night, Sept. 20.
In a briefing with President Duterte, Año noted that ‘at the end of September, they will make an assessment through the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) if the Alert Level System should be enforced nationwide. This will then be submitted to President Duterte for approval.
On Sept. 19, Año pointed out that the national capital Region (NCR) Alert Level System implementation is good and orderly so far and had good feedback.
“Maganda ang feedback at maayos naman ang pagpapatupad ng Alert Level System sa Metro Manila. May mga naging isyu, pero agad naman itong natugunan (The feedback is good and the implementation of the Alert Level system is orderly in Metro Manila. There were some issues, but these were immediately resolved),’’ Año said.
Año stressed the decision now lies with the President and should that happen the local government units (LGUs) must adapt to it to include alignment of their ordinances.
“Anyway pilot testing pa naman tayo (in Metro Manila) till end of September,’’ Año noted in a text message.
Under the guidelines issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID), the new quarantine classifications imposed in Metro Manila from Sept. 16 to 30 will have five Alert Levels that would allow most activities except those classified as closed, crowded and close contact (3Cs).
The DILG chief also reported that the cash aid (ayuda) distribution for the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) recipients in NCR is now ‘100 percent complete.’
With an allocation of P2,714,966, Año revealed that 96.20 percent which is equivalent to P2,611,807 of ayuda was distributed to 2,611,807 beneficiaries in Laguna.
He added that 18 of the municipalities in Laguna have completed their financial assistance distribution with the payout expected to be finished next week.
In Bataan, Año said P513,235,000 out of the P698,283,000 ayuda were dispensed to 513,235 recipients for a 73.50 percent distribution rate with two out of the 12 towns namely Samal and Abucay completing the payout.