Palace: Gov't developing post-ECQ game plan
Published Apr 15, 2020 11:39 am
By Genalyn Kabiling
The government is fine-tuning its "game plan” after April 30 when the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon ends, a Palace official said Wednesday.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles (Photo from Karlo Nograles / Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said they will gather more data and discuss the next course of action to address the pandemic and mitigate its impact on the people.
The coronavirus response measures from the recent special Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit will also be helpful in finalizing the government's plan after April 30, Nograles said.
Nograles, spokesman of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, earlier clarified that the proposed selective quarantine in Luzon is not yet final.
The task group will take into consideration certain scientific parameters and social, economic, and security factors on whether to partially or totally lift, extend or expand the Luzon-wide lockdown which is set to expire at the end of the month.
"Slowly we are coming out with the game plan on what will happen after April 30," Nograles said in a virtual press conference Wednesday.
"Now, hindi pa iyan tapos kasi patuloy pa rin nating pinag-uusapan iyan. Iyong ating summit sa ASEAN was also very helpful kasi nakikita rin namin ano iyong ginagawa ng ibang bansa.
(It's not yet complete because we are still discussing it. The ASEAN summit was also very helpful because we saw what is being done by other counties.)
"So, all of that is being taken into consideration, pinag-aaralan (it is being studied), and then we are fine tuning everything," he added.
Nograles also said President Duterte has directed the government's economic team to prepare the economic recovery plan amid the coronavirus pandemic. He said the economic managers presented an initial plan to the task force but needed more data to complete their studies.
He said the government's plan includes adopting to the new normal state of activities. Social distancing and other health precautions will still be implemented even if more industries are allowed to resume operations, he said.
"We are now considering ano iyong mga puwede nang ibalik. Pero siyempre, hindi siya puwedeng tulad ng dati," Nograles said.
(We are now considering what we can bring back. But of course, we can't go back to what it used to be.)
"Ibalik natin ang mga ganito, how much percentage ang puwede, ganyan, ganyan tapos social distancing pa rin, tapos naka-mask pa rin, tapos kailangan may hygiene pa rin, tapos may disinfections."
(We may allow the resumption of some activities, how much percentage of this or that is allowed. There will still be social distancing, wearing of face masks, observing proper hygiene, and disinfections.)
While the government's next plan is being ironed out, Nograles said authorities will continue to scale up healthcare facilities and resources, particularly in the testing, isolation, and treatment of coronavirus patients. He said they expect the situation to "get better" as the country improves its capabilities to contain the spread of the virus.
"Mas nakikita na natin iyong rate of infection natin. Then bukas na iyong ating mga COVID-19 quarantine and isolation facilities," he said.
(We can now see our rate of infection better. We have also opened our COVID-19 quarantine and isolation facilities.)
"Ang target po natin talaga (Our target really) is we test more, we identify them more, we isolate them more, we treat them more – we have more recoveries. So, iyan na iyong ginagawa nating bagong sistema (That is the new system we're implementing)," he added
President Duterte has placed Luzon under ECQ since March 17 to curb the spread of the new coronavirus disease.The lockdown was supposed to end last April 12, but was extended to April 30 to flatten the curve and further improve healthcare facilities and resources against the disease.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles (Photo from Karlo Nograles / Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said they will gather more data and discuss the next course of action to address the pandemic and mitigate its impact on the people.
The coronavirus response measures from the recent special Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit will also be helpful in finalizing the government's plan after April 30, Nograles said.
Nograles, spokesman of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, earlier clarified that the proposed selective quarantine in Luzon is not yet final.
The task group will take into consideration certain scientific parameters and social, economic, and security factors on whether to partially or totally lift, extend or expand the Luzon-wide lockdown which is set to expire at the end of the month.
"Slowly we are coming out with the game plan on what will happen after April 30," Nograles said in a virtual press conference Wednesday.
"Now, hindi pa iyan tapos kasi patuloy pa rin nating pinag-uusapan iyan. Iyong ating summit sa ASEAN was also very helpful kasi nakikita rin namin ano iyong ginagawa ng ibang bansa.
(It's not yet complete because we are still discussing it. The ASEAN summit was also very helpful because we saw what is being done by other counties.)
"So, all of that is being taken into consideration, pinag-aaralan (it is being studied), and then we are fine tuning everything," he added.
Nograles also said President Duterte has directed the government's economic team to prepare the economic recovery plan amid the coronavirus pandemic. He said the economic managers presented an initial plan to the task force but needed more data to complete their studies.
He said the government's plan includes adopting to the new normal state of activities. Social distancing and other health precautions will still be implemented even if more industries are allowed to resume operations, he said.
"We are now considering ano iyong mga puwede nang ibalik. Pero siyempre, hindi siya puwedeng tulad ng dati," Nograles said.
(We are now considering what we can bring back. But of course, we can't go back to what it used to be.)
"Ibalik natin ang mga ganito, how much percentage ang puwede, ganyan, ganyan tapos social distancing pa rin, tapos naka-mask pa rin, tapos kailangan may hygiene pa rin, tapos may disinfections."
(We may allow the resumption of some activities, how much percentage of this or that is allowed. There will still be social distancing, wearing of face masks, observing proper hygiene, and disinfections.)
While the government's next plan is being ironed out, Nograles said authorities will continue to scale up healthcare facilities and resources, particularly in the testing, isolation, and treatment of coronavirus patients. He said they expect the situation to "get better" as the country improves its capabilities to contain the spread of the virus.
"Mas nakikita na natin iyong rate of infection natin. Then bukas na iyong ating mga COVID-19 quarantine and isolation facilities," he said.
(We can now see our rate of infection better. We have also opened our COVID-19 quarantine and isolation facilities.)
"Ang target po natin talaga (Our target really) is we test more, we identify them more, we isolate them more, we treat them more – we have more recoveries. So, iyan na iyong ginagawa nating bagong sistema (That is the new system we're implementing)," he added
President Duterte has placed Luzon under ECQ since March 17 to curb the spread of the new coronavirus disease.The lockdown was supposed to end last April 12, but was extended to April 30 to flatten the curve and further improve healthcare facilities and resources against the disease.