ILOILO City – The flip-flopping of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) on the quarantine classification of Iloilo city and province left Ilonggos confused and frustrated.
Past noon on Friday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced Iloilo’s shift to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) until July 31 but gave the wrong day when it would take effect – July 22.
A few minutes after, he clarified that the ECQ would in fact take effect immediately.
On Thursday, Roque announced that Iloilo city and province would just remain under modified ECQ until July 22.
Friday’s announcement sparked panic buying downtown. People feared running out of essential household supplies if shops close. ECQ is the toughest of all quarantine classifications.
Why ECQ?
“The reason behind is really mayroon nakita na variant or Delta variant, dalawang cases. This (ECQ) is more on preventive measure,” said Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed on Friday that an elderly couple from Pandan, Antique were the first recorded infections of the Delta variant of the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Western Visayas.
It also noted the rising infections in Iloilo city and province.
Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas was incredulous.
“Diin da ang logic nga nakit-an nila, ato ‘ya ang variant sa Antique, diri sila ‘ya ma-ECQ,” said Treñas over RMN Iloilo on Friday night.
He added: “Kita ya is six hours (away) pa-Pandan, kita ya ang gin-ECQ.”
Though deemed an “abrupt decision”, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said the Ilonggos need not panic as this version of the ECQ was better compared to that in March 20 last year.
“Don’t worry. Let us make the adjustments first. Then we will do what we have to do. Sa subong ginatan-aw ko ang bag-o nga ECQ (guidelines) daw indi man tama kalayo sa MECQ. When I wrote the first EO sang ECQ (last March 2020) tama ‘to ya kalain kon mag-amo ‘ni sia,” Defensor told the press.
Based on the governor’s initial review of the IATF-MEID’s omnibus guidelines under ECQ, he said the provisions were much lighter.
“Ginapangita ko di’ waay ang provision for strict home quarantine, stoppage of public transport, substantial closure of establishment. It appears nga indi na amo sina, may public transports kita, daw wala sia strict home quarantine requirement. Buot silingon lain sia. It’s a better version of ECQ and that is good,” Defensor said.
The governor would be sitting down today with the mayors of 43 local government units together with the Western Visayas Regional Task Force on COVID-19 (RTF) and Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (RIATF) prior to issuing an executive order detailing the ECQ guidelines.
Early on Friday, local chief executives had a virtual meeting with the RTF, RIATF and Densing. They discussed measures to curb COVID-19 cases.
During the virtual meeting, Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas reportedly complained about the national government’s response to the pandemic such as the lack of consultations with local chief executives.
Densing said the IATF’s decision for an ECQ “walang kinalaman ‘yong ranting.”
“Why is that when it’s the NCR (National Capital Region), parang Diyos sila, you consult them,” Treñas said.
He, however, stressed the city government will comply with the national IATF directives.
Treñas said his executive order stipulating guidelines for the city’s ECQ status will be released today.
“Waay ta mahimo, atubangon ta na lang,” said Treñas.
Initially, the city mayor said the city’s curfew hours under ECQ will be 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. and a liquor ban will be imposed, too.
Meanwhile, Defensor has yet to announce if the province would put up border controls with Antique.
“We will see kon ano ‘na sia. Kay ang closing sang borders it’s not because of the variant it because of quarantine decision. General rule kon mas mataas ang quarantine decision dapat indi kamo magkadto sa nubo. ECQ to GCQ indi puede. Ti, ari na di sia (referring to Omnibus Guidelines) kay amo na basta halin kaw sa critical area indi ka dapat kagwa pero kon pareho man lang kamo MECQ puede… amo na ang principle not because of the variant,” Defensor explained./PN
