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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Luzon devider Iloilo City to revert back to GCQ

Iloilo City to revert back to GCQ

Published Sep 29, 2020 12:05 pm

ILOILO CITY—This city will revert back to the less restrictive general community quarantine (GCQ) status by October 1, or less than a week after it had been placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

A cyclist crosses the Forbes Bridge in Iloilo City, which is under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) status until September 30. (TARA YAP/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III announced the downgrading of the quarantine status late Monday night.

This was the latest development as Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas faced criticism for not making a consistent policy on the city’s quarantine status to stem the rising number of locally transmitted cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

It was last September 24 when Treñas announced that the city government will ask the national government’s COVID-19 task force to approve the MECQ status for the city when more than 600 new cases were recorded in a period of week.  The request was approved the next day.

However, on September 26, Treñas again changed his mind. He said the city government will be appealing to the national government to lower the status back to GCQ. This came about after a virtual meeting with key business leaders.

The Western Visayas regional office of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) also warned Treñas of violating the national government’s guidelines on MECQ.  This was after Treñas issued his own executive orders that allowed public transportation while opening the city’s borders when these were not allowed under MECQ.

Last September 28, many residents also expressed dismay over another set of inconsistent announcements by Treñas that caused public confusion.

He initially announced that more than 30 barangays will be under total lockdown because of the presence of more than three COVID-19 cases in each village.  But by early Monday evening, the mayor said it was no longer necessary, and that only surgical lockdowns will be implemented.

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