MANILA – The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) is recommending a shift to the strictest enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Iloilo city and province.
“Are they going to give us ayuda the same as (in the) NCR (National Capital Region)?” asked Mayor Jerry Treñas.
The city mayor stressed that a shift to ECQ would mean the closure of more businesses in Iloilo City.
“Damo naman wala trabaho. Kun damo wala trabah,o pigado ang tawo,” said Treñas.
The better move is to just retain the city’s current modified ECQ, said the mayor.
“We can manage the (coronavirus) cases, hospitals… Ang kinahanglan ta lang is ang support from the national government in terms of more vaccines,” Treñas added.
He will appeal the recommendation, Treñas said over DYOK Aksyon Radyo Iloilo last night.
Iloilo’s Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said he is also planning to make an appeal but he would confer first with local official of the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Provincial Disaster Cluster today.
“Gusto ta anay mabal-an kon ano basehan kag kon ano ginapinsar sang national government while making this recommendation,” Defensor said. “Let us reconcile the figures with the DOH and the (Regional) Task Force so that maathag sa aton.”
TIGHTER QUARANTINE FOR MOST OF WV
The IATF is also recommending tighter quarantine restrictions for other parts of Western Visayas for the remainder of July.
These recommendations, however, are still subject for appeal by concerned local government units (LGUs) until 5 p.m. today.
Bacolod City, Aklan, Antique, and Capiz are being proposed to be placed under modified MECQ) after being under general community quarantine (GCQ) at the start of the month.
Negros Occidental and Guimaras, on the other hand, are recommended to remain under GCQ.
The IATF-EID recommendations were contained in a text message by DILG assistant secretary for plans and programs Francisco R. Cruz.
The message, which was only intended for LGUs, was leaked to the public on Tuesday night. The content, however, was verified to Panay News by a source who requested anonymity.
The newspaper also tried to reach out to IATF-EID co-chair Karlo Alexei Nograles and spokesperson Harry Roque but the queries were not responded to.
In Bacolod City, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said the city government would also make an appeal.
To note, Western Visayas has been classified by the DOH as low risk area for coronavirus disease 2019./PN
