GENSAN UNDER MGCQ UNTIL END OF MAY

GENERAL Santos City will not totally lift its control measures against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid- 19), even as it implements modified general community quarantine ( MGCQ) to ease movement restrictions and open up more businesses in the city. Mayor Ronnel Rivera said in an interview that they formally appealed to the Inter- Agency Task Force ( IATF) on Covid- 19 national head office to reconsider the extension of the MGCQ until end of this month. The national IATF, however, issued Resolution 35 after declaring the entire Region 12 ( Soccsksargen) as among the low- risk areas in the country for Covid- 19. Rivera said other local government leaders in the region, whose constituencies are considered low risk, had pushed for the same appeal during the regional IATF meeting last week. He noted that General Santos City was considered Covid- 19- free but still cannot lift measures against the pandemic and the MGCQ is just a move to ease movement and open shops that suffered under enhanced community quarantine. After the MGCQ that will end at end of May, “GenSan will be back to normal situation, but, of course, we still observe the physical distancing and wear a face mask all the time because we are still uncertain on when this Covid- 19 pandemic will be contained,” Rivera said. Under the MGCQ, he added, the local government might ease up on some restrictions such as the opening of its borders with Sarangani and South Cotabato provinces, as well as access to the city’s central business district. Rivera said they would consider allowing religious activities, including church services and other related gatherings, but strict physical distancing and mandatory wearing of protective gear like face masks should be observed. JERRY N. ADLAW