THE emerging threat of Delta variant, which according to health experts is highly contagious and easily transmissible strikes an additional fear, anxieties and heart-throbbing effect on the people of the world and, of course, to the Filipino People. In fact, the Department of Health in its recent statement admits that the rising cases of Covid-19 are caused by the Delta variant.
Good enough, President Rodrigo Duterte has responded promptly to the problem by mobilizing all branches of government to suppress the surging of this particular deadly disease. The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Metro Manila Mayors have agreed to put the National Capital Region (NCR) under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). I understand ECQ is lowered to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) but still going in and out of NCR Plus is strictly prohibited.
This spikes another setback on our economy. Mr. Joey Concepcion. presidential adviser on entrepreneurship. and Mr. Sergio Ortiz Cruz Jr., president of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (Ecop), have explicitly expressed their disappointment over the continuous lockdowns in NCR Plus and other regions, saying that more lockdowns will result in an imaginable loss on our already precarious economy.
Businesses like restaurants, salons, beauty parlors, barbershops, games of sports, constructions, transportations and movie houses have suffered insurmountable losses. I hope that the National Government would exert more efforts massively to end the miseries, sacrifices and hardship of the Filipinos. May I also urge religious private and social organizations to close ranks under the most trying time to comply strictly with health protocols like wearing facemasks and face shields in public and observing physical distancing?
In doing so, I am quite confident that at the end of the day, we will succeed and eventually achieve our paramount purpose to heal as one.
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In another development, a few days ago, I decided to go out of my residence here in Magalang to buy some grocery items for our needs.
As I went around the grocery store, I was astounded to see a big sign announcing "liquor ban" seemingly, this drives a strong message that social gatherings are strictly banned. Incidentally, I saw an array of Tiangge outlets put up around the town plaza selling commodities at affordable prices. People from different walks of life, especially the poor and those from the middle class, somehow will patronize tiangge items.
The possibilities of non-observance of health protocol may take place and a big crowd cannot be avoided since August 24, Magalenos celebrate the feast of St. Bartholomew, the patron saint of Magalang. Now, here is a big question coming from concerned citizens: Who gave the green light to put up tiangge stores around the town plaza under the pandemic crisis?
Magalang Town Plaza is frequented by young and old Magalenos to spend their leisure time in the morning and night. In this regard, on behalf of the people of Magalang, concerned about their health and safety, may I humbly suggest to the local leadership to pause awhile and hold in abeyance the issuance of a permit to the tiangge dealers, until such time when the situation returns to normal and all are fully vaccinated?
Let us not be complacent or take chances under the present volatile condition. Of course, we don't want to experience the same fate that the town of Guagua is undergoing where cases of Covid-19 have soared, forcing the mayor to declare the town under a state of calamity.