By Argyll Cyrus Geducos  National action plan on COVID-19 Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. said it was inaccurate to label as “Matira matibay” or "survival of the fittest" the current situation in Metro Manila after the government decided to ease up the quarantine protocols in the National Capital Region to revitalize the economy. Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito G. Galvez Jr.
(OPAPP / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) In a press briefing in Malacañang, Galvez said they, along with the Department of Trade and Industry DTI) and the National Capital Region Police Office NCRPO) are consistently checking the situation to see if public transport and different establishments in Metro Manila are following the quarantine protocols especially now that the region is under the general community quarantine (GCQ). "Hindi naman siguro tama yung 'matira-matibay' dahil kasi talagang tinitignan namin, pati nga kami nila DTI, kami umiikot kami ng mga... nila NCRPO (I think calling it 'survival of the fittest' is not right because we, along with the DTI and NCRPO, are regularly going around to check the situation)," he said Monday. Galvez said they are happy that the public is following the protocols, noting that only 20 percent of the usual mall-goers are going to the said establishments, in view of apprehension on possible infection by the dreaded COVID-19. He also expressed satisfaction with how shops and the local government units (LGUs) are heightening their strict health protocols. "Natutuwa nga kami kasi yung mga LGU natin sa Metro Manila at tsaka yung mga business sector, mas mataas pa ang kanilang awareness talaga---even stricter pa sa IATF yung mga pinatutupad nila (We are happy because LGUs in Metro Manila and also the business sector have even stricter guidelines than the ones issued by our pandemic task force),' Galvez said. To contain the COVID-19 pandemic, Galvez said they will localize the lockdown down to the barangay levels if necessary in order to prevent widespread transmission of the disease following Metro Manila's shift to GCQ. He added that Metro Manila's testing capacity also increased with 25 testing centers now in the region. "We are protecting our people na hindi magkaroon ng second wave (of infection)," Galvez said. The shift Meanwhile, Galvez reiterated that the decision to place Metro Manila under the GCQ was made to revitalize the economy. " will also put us some breathing space na magkaroon talaga ng (so that we can have) economic activity, considering that more millions of our workers are being affected by the lockdown," he said. Metro Manila is under the GCQ until June 15 even though it is still considered as a high-risk area. To date, the Department of Health (DOH) has recorded 18,086 confirmed COVID-19 cases.