Metro mayors to IATF: Transition to GCQ by June 1 with limitations
By Jel Santos
The Metro Manila Council (MMC), comprised of 17 mayors in the metropolis, will recommend to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) the transition of the National Capital Region (NCR) to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) by June 1, with limitations and restrictions.
The imposition of the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) will end on May 31.
All the 17 mayors of Metro Manila have “unanimously” agreed to recommend placing Metro Manila to GCQ from modified enhanced community quarantine that will lapse on May 31, MMDA General Manager Jose Arturo Garcia said.
“Unanimously, all NCR mayors are acceptable to the place Metro Manila under GCQ but still we will wait for the decision of the IATF. Whatever decision that they will do, definitely we will follow and all mayors will be ready,” he said during an online press conference Tuesday night.
Under the GCQ, Garcia said the Council agreed to recommend that local government units will still be allowed to impose a lockdown on specific barangays if needed, particularly “problematic” areas with high number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases.
On transportation, he said mayors believe that the mode of transportation in Metro Manila must only be limited to company-provided shuttle services, point-to-point vehicles, taxis, Transport Network Vehicle Services, and tricycles.
"Public utility buses and jeepneys must remain prohibited under GCQ for the safety of the commuters."
Garcia explained that enforcement of social distancing protocols is easy to manage with the said vehicles unlike public buses and jeepneys.
The MMDA general manager said the MMC will create no resolution on the recommendations. MMDA Chairman Lim, who is also a member of the IATF, will presnt the mayors’ recommendation.
“The MMC and MMDA will respect whatever the IATF decides,” he said, saying MMC is just recommendatory.
The MMC is the governing and policy-making body of the MMDA.