ROXAS City – The provincial government of Capiz is against the recommendation of the National Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to place the province under the stricter modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
Capiz has been under general community quarantine (GCQ) since July 1.
Gov. Esteban Evan Contreras said they would rather remain under GCQ until July 31, stressing that cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Capiz were on the decline.
When he learned about the task force’s MECQ recommendation on Tuesday night, Contreras immediately convened the provincial government’s COVID-19 core group and municipal mayors, and majority agreed to seek for an extended GCQ.
Many businesses and their workforce would be adversely affected (closed) once Capiz is placed under MECQ, according to Contreras, and this would also mean the economic dislocation of many workers.
In Roxas City, Mayor Ronnie Dadivas said he would also ask for the extension of the current GCQ instead of the recommended shift to MECQ.
The GCQ is sufficiently working, he stressed.
“COVID-19 active cases are decreasing. We only have 161 from more than 600 last month,” according to Dadivas.
He stressed the importance of reviving the local business sector.
“Kinahanglan makatrabaho ang aton kasimanwa agud mabuhi nila ang ila pamilya,” said Dadivas./PN
