Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said Tuesday authorities are ready to implement a 14-day lockdown in case the Department of Health (DoH) raises the Code Red Sublevel 2 due to continuous community transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the country.
Currently, the country is under the Code Red Sublevel 1 after the DoH confirmed the first local transmission of COVID-19. On Tuesday, the Philippine’s COVID cases jumped to 33.
“We are prepared if there would be a lockdown, we have the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to help the LGU as much as possible because we really need to contain this, that is the wisdom,” he said during an ambush interview after the Metro Manila Council (MMC) meeting at Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) headquarters.
“If there is transmission, the best that we can do is really stop the spread of the virus, but how? By ensuring that there is no mass gathering or probably we will impose the lockdown for 14 days. Kasi ‘yun ang incubation time ng virus so with that matitigil mo ‘yung activity mapre-prevent mo ‘yung pag-spread,” Año added.
Año said there are various types of lockdown that can be implemented once the Sublevel 2 is raised.
MMDA General Manager Jose Arturo Garcia said that all the Metro Manila mayors are okay with the idea of lockdown if it becomes Code Red Sublevel 2.
“Our mayors do not have strong apprehension on the lockdown. All our mayors are united on this,” he said when asked by reporters.
Meantime, Garcia said there are two types of lockdown, citing Italy’s lockdown of a region, and Wuhan “home lockdown.”
The MMDA general manager affirmed Año’s statement, saying that the government is ready to impose a lockdown should the situation call for it after March 14.
However, Makati City Mayor Abigail “Abby” Binay thinks that imposing a lockdown is “ an extreme measure.”
“Wala pa tayo doon,” she said.
For Marikina Mayor Marcy Teodoro, he said he is okay with the idea of lockdown “if it is necessary.”
Asked on his take on the possible lockdown in Metro Manila, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto said “it depends on how the situation will progress. We must react proportionately and appropriately.” (Jel Santos)
