ILOILO City – Noting that many employees have been affected by the closure especially of non-essential businesses, Mayor Jerry Treñas is planning to gradually reopen them despite the metro being under a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
Many workers are complaining. No work means no income, thus no food to put on their tables.
“We need to study together the possibility of allowing more business establishments to reopen despite the surge (in coronavirus disease cases). Many need to work. We cannot sustain them with food assistance. We cannot allow this to go on,” said Treñas.
The city mayor said he will gather inputs from representatives of the business sector and health officials today to come up with a better course of action.
“We will decide together on what is best for our beloved city,” said Treñas.
Iloilo City is under MECQ until June 15 but Treñas, upon the recommendation of the Iloilo City COVID Team, is seeking for another 15-day extension, or until June 30.
Treñas said despite the city being under MECQ, they may start opening 30 to 50 percent of non-essential business establishments by June 16.
“We will gradually reopen establishments, at the same time padakuon ta ang capacity sang aton quarantine facilities,” said Treñas.
He also emphasized that the city government is continuously asking for additional vaccines.
“Nagapangayo ‘ko dugang nga vaccines bangod nga while we are slowly opening up the economy, kinanglan may proteksyon man ang aton mga pumoluyo,” he stressed.
Treñas also shared that in his meeting with local chief executives in Western Visayas on Saturday, they decided to request a meeting with Inter-Agency Task Force chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez, Health secretary Francisco Duque, testing czar Secretary Vince Dizon, Interior secretary Edgardo Año and National Task Force chairman Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.
“We intend to give them an update on the real situation and request for a steady and consistent supply of vaccines considering the surge of cases we are constantly facing. The supply of vaccines will depend on the capacity of each local government unit (LGU) to inoculate per week. We hope that together with them, we can find doable solutions,” said Treñas.
Earlier, he announced that per information from the DOH, Iloilo City will be receiving 1,200 doses of Sinovac this week.
“Considering that we will be able to use one-half of these, 600 persons can be given their first dose to secure their safety. We are also currently waiting for the 600,000 vials the city procured from AstraZeneca so more people will be protected from the virus,” Treñas added./PN
