NCR ready for GCQ
Published May 28, 2020 12:00 am
By Argyll Cyrus Geducos
While the National Capital Region (NCR) is ready to shift to the general community quarantine (GCQ) due to the slower doubling rate of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Malacañang reminded the public to still stay at home as the region would still be under lockdown.
Harry Roque (ALBERT ALCAIN/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque stressed this after a supposed copy of Resolution No. 40 of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) surfaced online early Thursday.
While Roque declined to confirm the legitimacy of the document, he said the fate of the community quarantine in the NCR is still dependent on the cooperation of the public.
“NCR is ready from the data that we have seen but that really depends on the cooperation of everyone,” he said.
No matter what the President announced last night, we can still go back to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) if the data will show that the doubling rate is fast again, he added.
Roque, however, expressed confidence that the public will continue to comply with the quarantine guidelines.
Based on the leaked resolution, Metro Manila will be placed under GCQ from June 1 until June 15. However, all identified high-risk barangays within the National Capital Region (NCR) shall be subject to the zoning concept implemented by the National Task Force (NTF) on COVID-19.
Other areas set for GCQ are:
* Baguio City * Pangasinan * Region II (Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Santiago City) * Region III (Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Angeles City, Olongapo City) * Region IV-A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Lucena City) * Albay * Iloilo City * Region VII (Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City * Zamboanga City * Davao City
Meanwhile, Cebu City is said to be placed under MECQ without prejudice to the declaration of localized ECQ in critical areas.
Local government units (LGUs) may still appeal their classification to the IATF until 12 noon of May 29.
How netizens feel
Netizens immediately responded to the leaked recommendation.
“This is too risky. May God be with us,” someone posted on Twitter.
“Why is everyone rooting for the GCQ?!” exclaimed another. “Saan ba utak ninyo (Where are your brains)? 15k cases!!! Fifteen. Thousand! That’s only within the duration of ECQ and MECQ. METRO MANILA IS NOT READY FOR A GENERAL COMMUNITY QUARANTINE. PERIOD!!!"
Another netizen raised concern over the lack of public transportation, which would make it difficult for workers to report back for work. “Yesterday, the Metro Manila Council said they favor a shift to GCQ, but will recommend that buses and jeeps remain banned,” she said. “This means mobility would more or less be the same under an MECQ scenario, but with heavier traffic and more workers disenfranchised by lack of public transport.”
Metro Manila has been identified as the epicenter of COVID-19 in the country, so it baffles netizens why government officials are eager to place it under GCQ.
“So CEBU CITY remains in MECQ while the epicenter will transition to GCQ for 15 days... note that we had 350+ cases the past two days and majority is in the Metro... so if 15K cases suddenly double, you know who to blame!!!!!" a netizen fumed.
There are some who believe, however, that there is no difference whether the Metro is placed under MECQ or GCQ. “As long as no vaccine is developed, no amount of quarantine will do the trick – be it ECQ, MECQ, or GCQ. Another lockdown will surely result (in millions of jobless people),” commented one.
“NCR shifting from MECQ to GCQ and right now, we don't have much of a choice. We will all face the deadly disease to sustain our daily needs. It's like survival of the fittest for us Filipinos,” added another. (With a report from Czarina Nicole Ong Ki)
Harry Roque (ALBERT ALCAIN/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque stressed this after a supposed copy of Resolution No. 40 of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) surfaced online early Thursday.
While Roque declined to confirm the legitimacy of the document, he said the fate of the community quarantine in the NCR is still dependent on the cooperation of the public.
“NCR is ready from the data that we have seen but that really depends on the cooperation of everyone,” he said.
No matter what the President announced last night, we can still go back to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) if the data will show that the doubling rate is fast again, he added.
Roque, however, expressed confidence that the public will continue to comply with the quarantine guidelines.
Based on the leaked resolution, Metro Manila will be placed under GCQ from June 1 until June 15. However, all identified high-risk barangays within the National Capital Region (NCR) shall be subject to the zoning concept implemented by the National Task Force (NTF) on COVID-19.
Other areas set for GCQ are:
* Baguio City * Pangasinan * Region II (Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Santiago City) * Region III (Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Angeles City, Olongapo City) * Region IV-A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Lucena City) * Albay * Iloilo City * Region VII (Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City * Zamboanga City * Davao City
Meanwhile, Cebu City is said to be placed under MECQ without prejudice to the declaration of localized ECQ in critical areas.
Local government units (LGUs) may still appeal their classification to the IATF until 12 noon of May 29.
How netizens feel
Netizens immediately responded to the leaked recommendation.
“This is too risky. May God be with us,” someone posted on Twitter.
“Why is everyone rooting for the GCQ?!” exclaimed another. “Saan ba utak ninyo (Where are your brains)? 15k cases!!! Fifteen. Thousand! That’s only within the duration of ECQ and MECQ. METRO MANILA IS NOT READY FOR A GENERAL COMMUNITY QUARANTINE. PERIOD!!!"
Another netizen raised concern over the lack of public transportation, which would make it difficult for workers to report back for work. “Yesterday, the Metro Manila Council said they favor a shift to GCQ, but will recommend that buses and jeeps remain banned,” she said. “This means mobility would more or less be the same under an MECQ scenario, but with heavier traffic and more workers disenfranchised by lack of public transport.”
Metro Manila has been identified as the epicenter of COVID-19 in the country, so it baffles netizens why government officials are eager to place it under GCQ.
“So CEBU CITY remains in MECQ while the epicenter will transition to GCQ for 15 days... note that we had 350+ cases the past two days and majority is in the Metro... so if 15K cases suddenly double, you know who to blame!!!!!" a netizen fumed.
There are some who believe, however, that there is no difference whether the Metro is placed under MECQ or GCQ. “As long as no vaccine is developed, no amount of quarantine will do the trick – be it ECQ, MECQ, or GCQ. Another lockdown will surely result (in millions of jobless people),” commented one.
“NCR shifting from MECQ to GCQ and right now, we don't have much of a choice. We will all face the deadly disease to sustain our daily needs. It's like survival of the fittest for us Filipinos,” added another. (With a report from Czarina Nicole Ong Ki)