NCR likely to remain under GCQ – Año
Published Jun 12, 2020 12:00 am
By Jeffrey Damicog
Metro Manila will most likely remain under a general community quarantine (GCQ), said Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año on Friday.
A barber (R) cuts the hair of a customer at a barbershop as it reopened after closing due to the COVID-19 coronavirus in Quezon City on June 7, 2020. (Photo by Maria TAN / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Malamang mag-remain yan sa GCQ (It will most likely remain under GCQ),” he said during an interview over CNN Philippines.
Año warned that we might regret easing quarantine restrictions in Metro Manila considering that the number of cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Metro Manila has not dropped significantly.
“Patuloy pa rin may mga fresh or new cases (There continue to be fresh or new cases),” he said during an interview over CNN Philippines.
“So, if we are going to relax it now, baka mabulunan o madapa. Kumbaga okay na tayo pero dahil niluwagan mo bumalik na naman at nagkaroon ng mas marami (So if we are going to relax it now we might choke or trip. Meaning, we are fine now but if we loosen up, the number of cases might increase),” he said.
Año said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) will be meeting on Monday, June 15, to determine its final recommendations to President Duterte on what to do with places under GCQ.
The IATF is awaiting recommendations based on consultations for areas under GCQ.
Ano noted that the Metro Manila Council will be meeting this Saturday, June 13, to determine what recommendations it will make to the IATF.
“Iaakyat yan sa IATF (the recommendations will be brought before the IATF) and IATF will finally make the final recommendations for the President’s decision,” he said.
“Ang binabantayan kasi naman natin dito ang NCR, ang Cebu City, tapos yung Region 2, Region 3, at Region 4A (The places we are closely watching are the National Capital Region, Cebu City, Region 2, Region 3, and Region 4A),” he said.
Aside from these, other areas placed under GCQ are Albay and Pangsinan.
Año expressed concern over Cebu City which already surpassed Quezon City in terms of the number of COVID-19 cases.
“Ang Cebu City nilampasan na nga niya yung Quezon City with the total number of 2,549 cases. Ang Quezon City, pinakamalaking siyudad natin, may 2,519 na lang (Cebu City surpassed Quezon City with the total number of cases at 2,549. Quezon City which is the largest city in the country has 2,519 cases),” he noted.
Although Region 4A is showing improved statistics, Año pointed out that only Quezon province has shown improvements compared to the other provinces in the region.
A barber (R) cuts the hair of a customer at a barbershop as it reopened after closing due to the COVID-19 coronavirus in Quezon City on June 7, 2020. (Photo by Maria TAN / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Malamang mag-remain yan sa GCQ (It will most likely remain under GCQ),” he said during an interview over CNN Philippines.
Año warned that we might regret easing quarantine restrictions in Metro Manila considering that the number of cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Metro Manila has not dropped significantly.
“Patuloy pa rin may mga fresh or new cases (There continue to be fresh or new cases),” he said during an interview over CNN Philippines.
“So, if we are going to relax it now, baka mabulunan o madapa. Kumbaga okay na tayo pero dahil niluwagan mo bumalik na naman at nagkaroon ng mas marami (So if we are going to relax it now we might choke or trip. Meaning, we are fine now but if we loosen up, the number of cases might increase),” he said.
Año said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) will be meeting on Monday, June 15, to determine its final recommendations to President Duterte on what to do with places under GCQ.
The IATF is awaiting recommendations based on consultations for areas under GCQ.
Ano noted that the Metro Manila Council will be meeting this Saturday, June 13, to determine what recommendations it will make to the IATF.
“Iaakyat yan sa IATF (the recommendations will be brought before the IATF) and IATF will finally make the final recommendations for the President’s decision,” he said.
“Ang binabantayan kasi naman natin dito ang NCR, ang Cebu City, tapos yung Region 2, Region 3, at Region 4A (The places we are closely watching are the National Capital Region, Cebu City, Region 2, Region 3, and Region 4A),” he said.
Aside from these, other areas placed under GCQ are Albay and Pangsinan.
Año expressed concern over Cebu City which already surpassed Quezon City in terms of the number of COVID-19 cases.
“Ang Cebu City nilampasan na nga niya yung Quezon City with the total number of 2,549 cases. Ang Quezon City, pinakamalaking siyudad natin, may 2,519 na lang (Cebu City surpassed Quezon City with the total number of cases at 2,549. Quezon City which is the largest city in the country has 2,519 cases),” he noted.
Although Region 4A is showing improved statistics, Año pointed out that only Quezon province has shown improvements compared to the other provinces in the region.