Former Vice President and senatorial aspirant Jejomar Binay has backed the League of Provinces of the Philippines' (LPP) call to defer the implementation of the alert system quarantine classification currently used in Metro Manila in other provinces and municipalities.
"I fully support the call of local officials through the League of Provinces to defer the implementation of granular lockdowns in their respective provinces. And I welcome the statement from the Department of Interior and Local Government that the national government is open to a deferment," Binay said on Friday, Oct. 22.
Binay said not all local governments have the resources to implement granular lockdowns and added that not because it has worked for Metro Manila, it will also be effective in other provinces and regions with different statuses.
"Outside the National Capital Region (NCR), you have fourth class and fifth class municipalities barely able to provide basic services even before the pandemic. Telling them to take care of food and other basic needs of their constituents in areas to be placed under granular lockdown is an imposition they may not be able to carry," Binay said.
"Dapat pinag-aralan ng husto bago idinikta sa mga probinsya. Dapat inalam ang capabilities at fiscal situation ng mga LGU (This should have been studied carefully first before implementing it in the provinces). Some government officials claim there was a consultation, but it seems that not everyone was consulted," he added.
The former vice president said that if the local government unit (LGU) does not have the necessary resources, the national government is obligated to give food and other necessities to those affected by the lockdowns.
It should also ensure that the beneficiaries will receive the support immediately.
"This government is notorious for delays in releasing aid to LGUs. I hope this will not happen during the granular lockdown. The granular lockdowns in the provinces should not add to the hardships of our fellow Filipinos already suffering from the economic effects of the pandemic," Binay said.