WHATEVER President Rodrigo Duterte decides later Thursday, May 28, the entire country will remain under community quarantine.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, in his regular virtual press briefing, refused to confirm a resolution by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases that downgraded risk-level and quarantine classifications of various local government units (LGUs) for the June 1 to 15 period.
“Lilinawin ko lang po, kahit ano’ng anunsyo ng Presidente mamayang gabi, pupuwede po tayong bumalik sa ECQ muli kung ang datos ay magpapakita na napakabilis na naman ng doubling rate,” Roque said.
(Let me be clear. Whatever the President will announce later this evening, we could still revert to ECQ or enhanced community quarantine if the data would show a fast doubling rate.)
Doubling time refers to the period within which the number of cases doubles.
Roque said doubling time in Metro Manila has slowed down to almost one month.
Based on such data, Roque said Metro Manila or the National Capital Region is ready to shift to general community quarantine (GCQ) on June 1.
Confirmed cases of coronavirus infections in a 24-hour period plateaued in May as daily incidence averaged 220 to 240.
But cases jumped to 350 and 380 in the last two days, the highest for the month of May.
Other factors that are considered in determining quarantine restrictions is the health system capacity, or the capacity of an LGU to provide critical care, and economic impact.
An unverified copy of the IATF Resolution 40, which the task force passed Wednesday, May 27, approved a shift to GCQ on June 1 for Metro Manila and other areas currently under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
The document also placed Cebu City under MECQ and Mandaue City under GCQ on June 1. Both cities are under ECQ, which entails the most stringent restrictions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
Several other areas will remain under GCQ, while the rest of the country will be placed under modified GCQ in preparation for the new normal.
READ: IATF downgrades quarantine classifications
Roque again appealed for cooperation from the public.
“Kaya nga po ang pakiusap natin, mga kababayan, makipagtulungan po tayo -- social distancing, good hygiene, manatiling malusog po nang sa ganoon, eh mapabagal pa natin yung doubling rate ng Covid-19,” Roque said.
(Our appeal to our countrymen is that we practice social distancing and good hygiene, and stay healthy to further slow down the doubling rate for Covid-19.)
Under GCQ, some public transport systems will be allowed to resume operations at limited capacity to ensure social distancing and more non-essential but non-leisure businesses will be allowed to reopen. (MVI/SunStar Philippines)