MANILA – Despite the increasing number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, Iloilo City must continue reviving its economy, stressed Mayor Jerry Treñas during the national government’s Laging Handa public affairs television program.
Local businesses not resume operations would have “very disastrous effects”, he said, pointing out that 58 percent of Iloilo City’s revenues come from local businesses.
“As far as I am concerned the virus will stay with us for quite some time. There will always be times when people will test positive for it. We have to live with this,” Treñas said.
“We cannot remain in this state forever,” he stressed, referring to lockdowns. “Otherwise more people will be losing their jobs, more businesses will be closing.”
Trenas, however, assured the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases that businesses and establishments in his city will follow health protocols.
Treñas also said Iloilo City will continue to welcome locally stranded individuals (LSIs) although he admitted, “We have issues with some LSIs and repatriated overseas workers.” He was referring to those breaching the required 14-day quarantine.
Under government protocols, all repatriated overseas workers must undergo mandatory quarantine and polymerase chain reaction testing.
On the other hand, LSIs must undergo rapid antibody testing in Metro Manila and quarantine and polymerase chain reaction testing in their respective hometowns.
The national government’s Laging Handa public affairs television program featuring Treñas was aired on July 4.
Iloilo City and the rest of Western Visayas remain under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).
The national government’s pandemic task force temporarily shelved the “new normal” classification in its community quarantine system. It recalibrated its quarantine system in Resolution No. 48, according to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.
“Wala munang new normal. Lahat ng lugar po sa Pilipinas meron pa ring community quarantine,” Roque said in a virtual press conference.
The MGCQ was previously touted as the transition phase to the “new normal” or the full easing of virus restrictions.
Roque, however, assured the public that changes in the community quarantine system “are only temporary…kasi habang nagmi-meeting ang IATF nababago po ang kanilang guidelines.”
Areas assessed to be at high-risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) local transmission will be placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) or modified ECQ.
Those assessed to be of moderate-risk for local transmission of the virus will be placed either as under general community quarantine (GCQ) or modified GCQ.
Meanwhile, areas assessed as low-risk for COVID-19 local transmission will remain under MGCQ instead of transitioning to the “new normal.”
For MECQ and MGCQ areas, the IATF will consider the following indicators: social, economic and security factors, clustering of cases, health system capacity, and continuous increasing or decreasing new cases, case doubling time and critical care utilization rate.
Western Visayas was placed under MGCQ on June 1. On June 16, this was extended until June 30 by the IATF, and extended again beginning July 1.
Under MGCQ, restrictions are further relaxed and become less necessary such as limiting people’s movement and public transportation, the operation of industries, and the presence of uniformed personnel to enforce community quarantine./PN
