Malacañang said the decision of President Duterte to approve the recommendation to revert parts of Mega Manila to the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) was a step in the right direction and not an admission of failure in the part of the government.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement as Mega Manila (covering Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal) goes back to MECQ from the GCQ from August 4 to August 18 following the request for a "timeout" of medical practitioners.

In his Monday presser, Roque said even with the reversion to MECQ, the Philippines is still headed in the right direction as long as the number of deaths remains low.

"Alam niyo po habang mababa po ang mga namamatay, tama po ang ginagawa natin at tingin ko po papunta tayo sa tamang direksyon na tayo ay nag-MECQ (You know, as long as the number of deaths is low, I think we are doing the right thing and our decision to go back to MECQ is the right direction)," he said.

"Sinabi ng ating mga modelers--mathematics modelers-- ito po ay garantisadong pamamaraan para mapababa po natin yung R0--yung reproduction rate ng sakit-- at mapahaba po yung case doubling rate (Mathematics modelers are saying that this is a guaranteed way to lower the R0 or the reproduction rate of the disease, and to lengthen the case doubling rate)," he added.

According to Roque, the number of critical and severe COVID-19 cases in the country remains low at 1 to 2 percent and that the government is intensifying its testing, treatment, and isolation to address the pandemic by increasing bed capacities.

Not a failure

Meanwhile, Roque said that the decision to revert to MECQ was not a failure on the part of the government because the case doubling rate is almost nine days, a figure that does not qualify for MECQ.

"Hindi po (It's not an admission of failure)," he said.

"We were within the criteria para magkaroon ng GCQ. At ang initial strategy ay (to be placed under GCQ. The initial strategy is) to resort to localized lockdown at intensified testing, tracing at treatment," he added.

However, he said the decision had to be made for the sake of the medical frontliners.

"Ang sabi nga po ng Presidente, ang gyera na ito ay laban sa sakit. Sino mapapadala niya sa giyera kundi ang mga frontliners (The President has spoken: This war is a war against disease. There's no one he can send by our medical frontliners)," Roque said.

"Kung kinakailangan pakinggan at pagbigyan ang mga frontliners (If needed, we have to listen and grant the request of our frontliners)," he added.

President Duterte said he understood the plight of medical workers but scolded them for going public with their sentiment.