MALACAÑANG said on Tuesday the national government will extend aid to local government units (LGU) in Metro Manila and other areas, which will remain under general community quarantine (GCQ) beyond this month.
This after President Duterte decided to defer approval of the government economic managers’ recommendation to place the entire country under modified GCQ (MGCQ) by March, until the government can start deploying Covid-19 vaccines.
“So assuming if NCR [National Capital Region] and other areas will still be [under] GCQ, then we need to engage with our local chief executives in those areas on how to address the needs of their citizens,” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said.
“Our economic managers and the different concerned departments and agencies will have to work around that framework in order for us to address the needs [of the said citizens],” he added.
The National Economic and Development Authority is pushing to ease quarantine restrictions in NCR and other GCQ areas, which stopped the operations of many businesses, subsequently worsening hunger rate, poverty and income loss in the country.
Before reopening more establishments, Duterte wants to first inoculate economic frontliners to minimize the potential spread of infection.
The inoculation drive is expected to start in the next few weeks once the donated 600,000 doses of Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac’s vaccine arrive in the country.
Nograles said the possible lowering of the quarantine restriction in GCQ areas may not happen until after the full rollout of the donated Sinovac vaccines is completed.
“The President may also make a decision with regard to MGCQ for the entire country at any given point…within the month of March,” Nograles said.
Mayors back Duterte move
Meanwhile, Metro Manila mayors supported Duterte’s decision to keep the NCR under GCQ.
“As what we have always emphasized, the Metro Manila mayors would always defer to the wisdom and judgment of the President,” Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benjamin Abalos Jr. said.
He added, “We are one with him [the President], and would exert all efforts and rally behind him in combating this Covid19 pandemic.”
San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora said he is grateful to the President. “The President’s statement is in line with my vote during the Metro Manila Council meeting to keep Metro Manila in GCQ to ensure that the cases are kept as low as possible—minimize transmission and prevent more deaths. Public health and safety are of utmost importance,” Zamora said.
He said that the national and local governments are doing everything possible to minimize the impact of the GCQ on the economy and the people’s livelihood.
Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano urged Pasay residents to strictly observe minimum public health standards after a 23-year-old mother and her 4-month-old baby tested positive for Covid.
Rubiano said the mother and baby were transferred to a facility.
She reminded her constituents to observe the EMI habit—Ensure to always wash your hands, Mask is a MUST, and Implement physical distancing.
The Covid-19 cases in the country surged to 564,865 as of 4 p.m. of February 23.