ECQ implementation a 'success'; MMDA chief Abalos explains why

Despite having packed hospitals, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benhur Abalos still views the ongoing implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) as a "success" in terms of protecting the health of Metro residents.

Speaking in a virtual press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 18, Abalos said that the game-changer in the current lockdown boils down to just one word--"bakuna", or the vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

"In the sense na yung pagbabakuna ay talagang tinodo namin (In the sense that we ramped up vaccinations), for us is a success on that aspect," he said when asked if the ECQ being imposed in Metro Manila was a success for him.

By "we", Abalos meant the 17 Metro mayors who also comprise the Metro Manila Council (MMC). Abalos is a concurrent chairman of the body.

The MMDA said that the total doses administered to Metro Manila residents as of Aug. 16 was 10,716,042.

Of the figure, 909,969 were senior citizens given their first jab of the COVID-19 vaccine, while a total of 774,066 seniors have completed their doses, the agency said.

Moreover, over 1.7 million individuals with comorbidities in the metropolis have received their first vaccine shot while around 1.3 million have already completed their jabs.

Abalos contended that when compared to the first ECQ in March 2020 and its second iteration in March 2021, National Capital Region (NCR) residents are more protected now health-wise thanks to the vaccine.

"If you look at the number of cases before, you compare the number of cases with the hospital care utilization, and even with the critical care cases, siguro mas maganda-ganda ang mga numero ngayon dahil vaccinated ang tiga-Metro Manila (the numbers are better now because Metro Manila residents have been vaccinated).

"Mataas pa rin talaga ang kaso, puno pa rin ang mga ospital. Pero in terms of critical , mas protektado na ang mga taga-Metro Manila compared to the previous (There is still a surge in cases, the hospitals are still full. But in terms of critical cases, Metro Manila folk have better protection compared to the previous ECQs)," he explained.

The MMC had earlier failed to come up with a recommendation to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on whether or not to extend the ECQ in the NCR, which was supposed to last until Aug. 20. The strict lockdown began last Aug. 6.

The national government rolled out its mass vaccination program against COVID-19 last March 1.