Virus surges in Philippines
Capital, outlying provinces return to lockdown for two weeks
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine president has agreed to place the capital and outlying provinces back under a lockdown after medical groups warned that the country was waging “a losing battle” against the coronavirus amid an alarming surge in infections.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Monday that metropolitan Manila, the capital region of more than 12 million people, and five densely populated provinces will revert to stricter quarantine restrictions for two weeks starting Tuesday.
The move, which economic officials oppose, will again prohibit nonessential travel outside of homes.
President Rodrigo Duterte relaxed the country’s lockdown on June 1 in an effort to restart the stalled economy.
Under the new restrictions, police checkpoints will return to ensure only authorized people, including medical personnel and workers in vital companies, venture out of their homes, Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano said.
Other businesses previously allowed to partly reopen, including barbershops, internet cafes, gyms, dine-in restaurants, massage and tattoo shops, drive-in cinemas and tourist destinations, will again be closed. Authorized companies including banks, health and food processing firms can operate partly but need to shuttle their employees between home and work. Workers can travel by bike, motorcycle and private car, but mass transit will be closed.
Many expressed support for the medical workers but reactions were mixed on the lockdown’s return. Allan Espanola, a 33-year-old jobless man, said it will bring more burdens to the people. “We’ll suffer more.
It’s like we’re going to square one again,” he said.
“Any lockdown is not effective on its own. It should be accompanied by a strong health response,” opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros said.
Businesses in the capital and outlying regions comprise about 67 percent of the national economy, and the Duterte administration has walked a tightrope between public health and economic revival. The economy contracted slightly in the first quarter but is likely facing a deep recession from the massive business closures that started when Duterte declared a strict lockdown in mid-march.
Leaders of nearly 100 medical organizations held a rare online news conference Saturday and warned that the health system has been overwhelmed by infection spikes and may collapse as health workers fall ill or resign from exhaustion and fear. They asked Duterte to reimpose a tight lockdown in the capital to allow the government to give health workers “a time out” and allow the government to recalibrate its response to the pandemic.