The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday said that the lockdown in high-risk barangays may be an option in the event Metro Manila transitions from the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) to the less restricted general enhanced quarantine (GCQ) after May.
DILG Interior Secretary Eduardo Año noted that the scheme is “more applicable” to restart the economy in the area and make the residents acclimatize to the “new normal” with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic still hounding countries worldwide.
He said that this is the most likely course of action as the local government units (LGUs) and the citizens responded well to the government’s quarantine protocols that were enforced to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
However, Año reminded the public that ECQ, MECQ or GCQ is still a quarantine where wearing of face masks, social distancing, observing curfew hours, staying home as much as possible and proper hygiene should still be strictly observed.
With the selective lockdowns, Año in an interview over ABS-CBN said that a selective barangay lockdown will provide the government to target specific locations that are in dire need of attention in dealing with COVID-19.
Explaining further, Año said that the selective lockdown in high risk places may not be limited only to the barangays but to the streets, alleys, compounds, subdivisions, neighborhood and other similar sections.
In these lockdown areas, Año noted that more law enforcers will be on stand-by to prevent anyone from entering and leaving these places.
Año explained that areas under selective lockdown have high cases of COVID-19 which will be referred to as critical zones while the adjacent barangays will be called container zones. (Chito Chavez)