Mayor Isko urges strict border control to prevent entry of Omicron
Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso has called for stricter border controls in the country to prevent the entry of the highly-transmissible new COVID-19 variant Omicron.
“Kailangan na vigilant, kailangan strict implementation of our border control. When I say strict, it goes for everyone. The rules apply to everyone: mahirap, mayaman, banyaga, o mga kababayan natin, dapat iisa ang rule, walang special. Baka kasi malusutan tayo and all we need is one infected person to spread it around (We need to be vigilant, we need strict implementation of our border control. The rules apply to everyone -- poor, rich, foreigners, or fellow Filipinos. There must be a single rule and no special treatment. We might be caught unaware. All we need is one infected person to spread it around),” Domagoso said in a statement on Tuesday, Nov. 30.
He said the city government is still assessing if the scheduled activities for the Christmas season and the Feast of the Black Nazarene will push through amid the emergence of the new COVID-19 variant.
“Tinitignan ko muna yung Omicron effect para sa Nazareno. Kasi ‘yung Christmas tingin ko wala pa eh, wala pa tayong masyadong prinoproblema ngayon. We are ready. What we have last March in terms of capacity is still the same capacity that we have today in the city of Manila. In fact, lumaki pa nga dahil dumami pa ‘yung gamot namin (I am looking at the possible effects of Omicron on the Feast of the Black Nazarene. As for Christmas, I don't think we will encounter any problem, Our capacity has increased because of the huge volume of anti-COVID medicine that we have procured),”he said.
Domagoso appealed to Manilenyos to continue observing strict health protocols.
“At the rate we are going, gusto ko bukas ang negosyo, gusto ko bukas makalabas ang mga tao. Basta mag-pabukuna lang kayo at pag nakakaramdam kayo ng kakaiba, magpa-test kayo tutal libre naman (I want our economy to remain open, I want our people to remain free to go out. Have yourselves vaccinated and in case you don't feel well, have yourselves tested for COVID-19). Life must go on. Learn to live with COVID-19 and go back to work safely,” Domagoso said.
He also lauded the Duterte administration for making vaccination a priority with the three-day national vaccination drive from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1.
“We, in the City of Manila, fully support the three-day national vaccination drive launched by the Duterte administration as this will be a big boost to the current vaccination efforts by local government units. We urge our people to have themselves vaccinated immediately in preparation for the new Omicron variant,” Moreno said.
“We also laud the gains we have achieved in bringing down cases of COVID-19 for the past months and we must work together to fight this new variant,” he said.