Taguig Mayor Lino Cayetano advised the public to be prepared for the impending lockdown of the National Capital Region (NCR).

From Aug. 6 to 20, the NCR will be placed under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the strictest level.

Metro Manila mayors including Cayetano signed the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Resolution 21-15 last Wednesday requesting the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to put NCR under ECQ due to the increasing number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases and the threat of the Delta variant in the region.

“The most important thing in our lockdown from August 6 to 20 is to be prepared. Because when we open (again), this will be continuous. We should not fear COVID, we should not fear the Delta variant. But we need to have our defense and this is to get vaccinated,” said Cayetano in a video on Taguig’s preparation against the Delta variant and ECQ.

Cayetano warned the public about the Delta variant, which is more contagious and, according to experts, in just one to two weeks, the number of COVID-19 cases will double or triple.

From 2,000 cases a day, this may increase to 26,000 to 28,000 a day in the NCR by September, said Cayetano.

“When this happens, our hospitals will be overwhelmed again. Our hospitals will be full again. People will not be able to get treated,” he said.

During a televised briefing last July 28, Dr. Manuel Mapue II, chief of the Department of Health-National Capital Region Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, identified one case of the Delta variant in Taguig.

This is one of the 25 new Delta variant cases in the NCR, he said. Manila has 10, Pasig has seven, San Juan has two and one case each in Las Pinas, Makati, Malabon, Quezon City and Paranaque. Of the total, eight have recovered, one died and 16 are active cases, he said.

Cayetano assured Taguig residents they will receive “ayuda” or cash aid from the national government and relief packs from the city government during the lockdown.