NCR, Davao City recommended for GCQ
Published May 28, 2020 12:00 am
By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz
Metro Manila (National Capital Region) and Davao City have been recommended to be placed under a general community quarantine (GCQ) starting June 1, a special adviser to the National Task Force for COVID-19 confirmed on Thursday.
A makeshift barricade blocks a street from outsiders to protect a neighbourhood from the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Manila, March 23, 2020. (REUTERS/Eloisa / MANILA BULLETIN)
"Meanwhile Cebu City will remain under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ). The rest of the country will be under modified GCQ but we will still closely monitor these areas," Dr. Anthony Leachon said in an interview over DZBB.
Leachon pointed out that there are four criteria that differentiate MECQ from GCQ.
"(Under) MECQ, (there is) limited movement within the zone, kunyari yung zone na sinabi sa iyo (for example the zone you belong to only allows) obtaining essential services and work. (Business) operations under MECQ, such as manufacturing and processing plants (should only allow) up to a maximum of the 50 percent of the workforce (to physically go to work at a time). Transport services remain limited for essential goods and services, and classes remain suspended," he said.
"(Under) GCQ, (there is) limited movement to services within the buffer zone and outside of the buffer zone. Ito yung tinatawag na protection natin sa ating economic zone. Katabi nya yung critical zone at containment zone nandito po tayo kaya kailangan mag ingat. Ito yung ante room bago lumabas sa new normal kaya dapat gradual ang phasing. (This is what we call protection for our economic zone. It is beside critical zone and containment zone, where we are supposed to be, so we still have to be careful. This is the ante room before going out to the new normal, therefore a gradual phasing is needed)," he added.
Leachon also said that the operation of government and private offices in areas under GCQ only allows 75 percent of the total workforce to physically go to work at a time. "Limited transport services to support government and private operations (can be expected), while fexible learning arrangement of (school) classes tinatawag nilang (which they call) blending learning."
To balance the economy and public health, the special adviser said some areas in Metro Manila that have "good performance" will be under GCQ. The barangays will be classified using color codes--red for critical zone and orange for containment zone. Areas under the containment zone are those under GCQ, he pointed out.
Leachon said a "granular" or detailed data using satellite map or graphic information will be provided to the local government units to determine specific area classifications.
For example, he explained that an area will be placed under critical zone if it has more than 20 cases per 100,000 population, while an area will be placed under containment zone if it has less than 20 cases per 100,000 population.
He said the ratio and proportion per barangay will be adjusted accordingly.
Should cases spike in GCQ areas, the local government unit concerned will be informed by the National Task Force to immediately "re-clamp down" the area.
"Hindi mo na hihintayin yung 14 days, June 15, para magclamp down ka. (You don't have to wait after 14 days, June 15, to implement a clamp down," Leachon said.
Different sets of criteria will also be used in classifying densely populated and rural areas, he added.
"Babantayan diyan yung mga mall, market, (at) sakayan, iimpose natin yan (social distancing). Dapat may shared responsibility din. Ang nangyayari kapag meron tayong laya nakakalimutan na natin yung ating disiplina ang commitment. (We will closely monitor (activities) in malls, markets, (and) transportation terminals, social distancing still have to be imposed. There should be shared responsibility here because what usually happens when we are free, we forget about our discipline and commitment," he said.
A makeshift barricade blocks a street from outsiders to protect a neighbourhood from the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Manila, March 23, 2020. (REUTERS/Eloisa / MANILA BULLETIN)
"Meanwhile Cebu City will remain under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ). The rest of the country will be under modified GCQ but we will still closely monitor these areas," Dr. Anthony Leachon said in an interview over DZBB.
Leachon pointed out that there are four criteria that differentiate MECQ from GCQ.
"(Under) MECQ, (there is) limited movement within the zone, kunyari yung zone na sinabi sa iyo (for example the zone you belong to only allows) obtaining essential services and work. (Business) operations under MECQ, such as manufacturing and processing plants (should only allow) up to a maximum of the 50 percent of the workforce (to physically go to work at a time). Transport services remain limited for essential goods and services, and classes remain suspended," he said.
"(Under) GCQ, (there is) limited movement to services within the buffer zone and outside of the buffer zone. Ito yung tinatawag na protection natin sa ating economic zone. Katabi nya yung critical zone at containment zone nandito po tayo kaya kailangan mag ingat. Ito yung ante room bago lumabas sa new normal kaya dapat gradual ang phasing. (This is what we call protection for our economic zone. It is beside critical zone and containment zone, where we are supposed to be, so we still have to be careful. This is the ante room before going out to the new normal, therefore a gradual phasing is needed)," he added.
Leachon also said that the operation of government and private offices in areas under GCQ only allows 75 percent of the total workforce to physically go to work at a time. "Limited transport services to support government and private operations (can be expected), while fexible learning arrangement of (school) classes tinatawag nilang (which they call) blending learning."
To balance the economy and public health, the special adviser said some areas in Metro Manila that have "good performance" will be under GCQ. The barangays will be classified using color codes--red for critical zone and orange for containment zone. Areas under the containment zone are those under GCQ, he pointed out.
Leachon said a "granular" or detailed data using satellite map or graphic information will be provided to the local government units to determine specific area classifications.
For example, he explained that an area will be placed under critical zone if it has more than 20 cases per 100,000 population, while an area will be placed under containment zone if it has less than 20 cases per 100,000 population.
He said the ratio and proportion per barangay will be adjusted accordingly.
Should cases spike in GCQ areas, the local government unit concerned will be informed by the National Task Force to immediately "re-clamp down" the area.
"Hindi mo na hihintayin yung 14 days, June 15, para magclamp down ka. (You don't have to wait after 14 days, June 15, to implement a clamp down," Leachon said.
Different sets of criteria will also be used in classifying densely populated and rural areas, he added.
"Babantayan diyan yung mga mall, market, (at) sakayan, iimpose natin yan (social distancing). Dapat may shared responsibility din. Ang nangyayari kapag meron tayong laya nakakalimutan na natin yung ating disiplina ang commitment. (We will closely monitor (activities) in malls, markets, (and) transportation terminals, social distancing still have to be imposed. There should be shared responsibility here because what usually happens when we are free, we forget about our discipline and commitment," he said.