Lockdown fate in Digong’s hands
But while there is already a recommendation, the Palace official expressed doubt that Metro Manila and Cebu City will shift to a more relaxed MGCQ
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque on Saturday revealed that the fate of community quarantine in the Philippines is in the hands of President Rodrigo Duterte as the inter-agency body will let the Chief
Executive decide the next steps to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
In a radio interview, Roque said that the President is taking into consideration the factors in deciding the fate of the community quarantines while balancing public health and the economy.
“There is already a recommendation, and it’s up to the President to review it,” he added.
The Palace official also disclosed that Metro Manila and other areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) may transition to modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), return to modified enhanced community quarantine, or remain under GCQ.
Roque added that the President will announce his decision tomorrow (Monday, 15 June), the same day when the GCQ in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Cagayan Valley, CALABARZON, Central Visayas, Pangasinan, Zamboanga City and Davao City expires.
But while there is already a recommendation, the Palace official expressed doubt that Metro Manila and Cebu City will shift to a more relaxed MGCQ.
“The numbers of infection in Metro Manila and Cebu are still going up, so I think it’s best to maintain status quo,” Roque said. “But we will leave it up to the President to balance the economy and the response to the pandemic.”
“It’s a gamble that we will let the President decide on it,” he added.
Roque explained that while public health is important, it is equally important to consider that Metro Manila’s staying under quarantine is costly for the economy and stressed that “no one can predict how the President decides.”
To recall, Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año on Friday said the National Capital Region will most likely remain under GCQ after 15 June.
However, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana also on Friday said if he would have his way, Metro Manila would be under a more relaxed MGCQ.
The President is taking into consideration the factors in deciding the fate of the community quarantines while balancing public health and the economy.
Repatriated OFW cleared
Meanwhile, The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) announced on Saturday that it has released the names of 1,611 repatriated overseas Filipino workers and returning Filipinos who were cleared by the Sub-Task Group for the Repatriation of OFW after they tested negative for the COVID-19.
The PCG said that the repatriated Pinoys and OFW have tested negative based on their RT-PCR tests and the sub-task group cleared the said names from 12:06 a.m. to 8:14 p.m. of Friday, 12 June.
The Coast Guard added that starting Saturday, it will release additional lists of those who tested negative in their RT-PCR tests, instead of updating the master list.
“Returning overseas Filipinos who are included in the list are advised to coordinate with the PCG or OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) personnel at the quarantine facility to process their return to their respective home province or home city,” the PCG said.
It also said quarantine clearances will be issued to returning overseas Filipinos either at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange or at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2.
This came following reports that around 400 OFW and locally stranded individuals have been forced to camp out in front of NAIA and under the airport’s elevated expressway while waiting for their flights to their respective destinations.
The government’s ad hoc task force had earlier said that domestic flights were allowed subject to approval of the destination local government unit (LGU).
However, airlines contended with conflicting LGU guidelines governing incoming flights, resulting in several booked flights canceled or rescheduled and most of the stranded workers spent days and nights sleeping there, hoping to catch a flight home, before officials finally swept them up on Friday.
While the last batch of OFW and probinsyanos stranded for two weeks at NAIA were finally transported on Friday to a quarantine facility here in Manila, their sorry ordeal brought to the fore anew vague and contradictory policies for these stranded individuals.