MANILA – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has defended the easing of age restriction in modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) areas, as approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
During Malacañang’s virtual presser on Monday, Trade secretary Ramon Lopez said the recommendation, which will be effective by Feb. 1, is in consideration of balancing health and economy.
“This will be done safely. Compliance is the key,” Lopez said. “The DTI endorses the easing of age restriction in MGCQ areas dahil ang kailangan po talaga ay ma-revive ang ekonomiya, ma-stimulate ang demand.”
“Ang worry natin, ‘pag tuluyan ang mababang bentahan ng mga tindahan, magsasara’t manganganib ma-displace ang ating workers,” he added. “Philippines po ang pinakamadiin na decline sa ating gross domestic product (GDP) growth.”
Based on the approved IATF-EID resolution, from the age range of 15 to 65 years old previously, the government will now allow people with ages 10 to 65 to go out of their residences.
“Mukhang natagpuan natin iyong magandang balance na as long as nagre-reopen ang economy at nagko-comply ang ating mga kababayan sa minimum health protocol, malaking tulong ho sa pagbaba ng COVID cases,” Lopez said./PN
