Malacañang has appealed to the public to remain patient and calm as the government deals with the growing threat of the novel coronavirus disease-2019 in the country, acknowledging that there may have been missteps and confusion in the implementation of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles reminded the public that the Philippines can get past the pandemic if everybody works together while keeping a cool head.
“As the government and its instrumentalities work to contain COVID-19, there may be missteps and misunderstandings, confusion and conjecture, frustration, and fear,” he admitted in a press conference in Malacanang.
“We appeal for patience and calm as we and the whole world face an unprecedented crisis – one that can be overcome if all of us focus at the singular task at hand: Saving each other’s life,” he added.
The Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has issued a bulletin detailing the do’s and don’ts during the enhanced community quarantine being implemented in Luzon until April 13.
Included in the list are the quarantine guidelines, the people allowed to go out, work guidelines, travel restrictions, and establishments and services that should continue to operate.
The Palace official thanked local government units for following the guidelines and for their initiatives to address the needs of their constituents.
Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture continues to implement the suggested retail prices of nine agriculture and fishery commodities to ensure the affordability of basic food items during the enforcement of the quarantine.
DAR Secretary William Dar said the current SRPs of the agriculture and fishery commodities have been in effect since Feb. 20.
The SRP policy covers nine basic food items sold in public markets.
These are pork (pigue/kasim) – P190; chicken (whole, dressed) – P130; sugar (raw, brown) – P45; (refined) –P50; milkfish or bangus (cage-cultured) –P162; tilapia (pond-cultured) – P120; galunggong (imported) – P130; garlic (imported) – P70; garlic (local) – P120; and red onion (fresh) – P95.
Dar said the prices for these basic commodities should not exceed 10 percent of the SRP.
The DA chief urged the public to report violating retailers to the department through its hotline 09511443233.
Dar also reiterated that the movement of cargo to and from Metro Manila, or in such other places which may be the subject of community quarantine, shall be unhampered. (Genalyn Kabiling and Ellalyn V. Ruiz)
