As mayors in the metropolis fear the peril of the second wave of COVID-19 cases, Metro Manila Council Chairman Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez said yesterday they are inclined to suggest the extension of the enhanced community quarantine to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
The MMC, comprised of the 17 Metro Manila mayors and different national agencies, is the governing and policy-making body of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
“Most likely tinitingnan po natin na magkaroon po ng another 15 days extension kasi ang kinakatakutan po natin dito ‘yung second wave. Kasi napakaganda na po ng ating momentum,” Olivarez said.
Olivarez said that members of the MMC will hold a teleconference meeting via Zoom this afternoon to discuss the possible extension of the ECQ.
Also, he said, they will suggest to IATF to extend the ECQ in the whole Metro Manila as it is inter-connected.
The Paranaque mayor pointed out that workers will have a hard time should selected areas in Metro Manila will be only under general community quarantine, saying that not all employees work in the cities where they live.
“Buong Metro Manila sana ang ma-extend dahil inter-connected po siya. Katulad po sa amin sa Parañaque, mayroon kaming mga residente na nagtratrabaho sa Makati, kung Makati ay GCQ, kami ay ECQ, paano siya makakalampas sa boundary namin katulad din po sa ibang lugar,” Olivarez explained.
As of last Thursday, the Department of Health said the country has 10, 343 confirmed COVID-19, 6,709 of which are in Metro Manila.
Assistant Secretary Celine Pialago, MMDA spokesperson, said the agency will fully support decision of the 17 mayors of MMC. (Jel Santos)
