By Jel Santos
The Metro Manila Council (MMC) will present three scenarios to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) for their decision on what to impose in Metro Manila after May 15, when the latest community quarantine extension expires.
MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia (Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Jose Arturo Garcia said on Saturday (May 9) the MMC will present to the IATF scenarios of the National Capital Region (NCR) under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), general community quarantine (GCQ), and modified community quarantine (MCQ), rather than an outright recommendation.
He said the 17 mayors weighed, and were torn between, the economic side and health issue in the four-hour meeting, so they unanimously suggested to give all three scenarios to the IATF for their decision.
“We will present the three scenarios to the IATF. It will be up to them,” Garcia said in Filipino in a teleconference interview via Zoom.
“We are just recommendatory, the great thing about this is that the voices of the mayors on the ground are being heard. They know well what is happening in their respective cities.”
In their hours-long meeting, Garcia said they primarily considered health and economic factors.
“Our meeting took long because we went into details of each scenario,” the MMDA general manager said.
Garcia explained that if the IATF chooses ECQ, it will be extended for approximately 15 days.
In GCQ, some selected stores will be opened as well as transportation, but with strict guidelines so that the disease will not spread.
The MCQ scenario, he said, is that areas with COVID-19 cases will be under quarantine.
“Should IATF pick 'modified,' it will be up to the Department of Health and concerned local government units which areas will be under ECQ or GCQ based on their data,” he said.
However, he said the problematic thing about the MCQ is that Metro Manila is interconnected, meaning it will be hard for people to travel for work or any essential transaction within the metropolis as there will be checkpoints limiting movement.
“We will respect the wisdom of the IATF whatever they will choose,” Garcia said.
Earlier, MMC chairman and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez said they are inclined to suggest the 15-day ECQ to the IATF.
The MMC, comprised of the 17 Metro Manila mayors and different national agencies, is the governing and policy-making body of the MMDA.
MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia (Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Jose Arturo Garcia said on Saturday (May 9) the MMC will present to the IATF scenarios of the National Capital Region (NCR) under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), general community quarantine (GCQ), and modified community quarantine (MCQ), rather than an outright recommendation.
He said the 17 mayors weighed, and were torn between, the economic side and health issue in the four-hour meeting, so they unanimously suggested to give all three scenarios to the IATF for their decision.
“We will present the three scenarios to the IATF. It will be up to them,” Garcia said in Filipino in a teleconference interview via Zoom.
“We are just recommendatory, the great thing about this is that the voices of the mayors on the ground are being heard. They know well what is happening in their respective cities.”
In their hours-long meeting, Garcia said they primarily considered health and economic factors.
“Our meeting took long because we went into details of each scenario,” the MMDA general manager said.
Garcia explained that if the IATF chooses ECQ, it will be extended for approximately 15 days.
In GCQ, some selected stores will be opened as well as transportation, but with strict guidelines so that the disease will not spread.
The MCQ scenario, he said, is that areas with COVID-19 cases will be under quarantine.
“Should IATF pick 'modified,' it will be up to the Department of Health and concerned local government units which areas will be under ECQ or GCQ based on their data,” he said.
However, he said the problematic thing about the MCQ is that Metro Manila is interconnected, meaning it will be hard for people to travel for work or any essential transaction within the metropolis as there will be checkpoints limiting movement.
“We will respect the wisdom of the IATF whatever they will choose,” Garcia said.
Earlier, MMC chairman and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez said they are inclined to suggest the 15-day ECQ to the IATF.
The MMC, comprised of the 17 Metro Manila mayors and different national agencies, is the governing and policy-making body of the MMDA.