Cebu City remains under the enhanced community quarantine, the most stringent form of lockdown as it became the “hotspot” of COVID-19 given the sharp surge in infections, President Duterte announced last Tuesday night.
The President has also kept Metro Manila and several others areas under the more relaxed general community quarantine to stem the outbreak of the viral illness. Most parts of the country will remain under modified general community quarantine.
The new quarantine classification is effective July 1 to July 15.
In a televised address, the President approved the extension of the strict quarantine measures in Cebu City after lamenting the failure of residents to observe health protocols. He reminded the people of Cebu City to “better shape up” and follow the rules to contain the spread of the infection.
“Ito ‘yung enhanced community quaranatine, ito ‘yung pinakamataas kasi marami na ang taong may infection. As a matter of fact, we know that the hospitals and everything there are having a hard time coping up,” Duterte said. “Ang enhanced community quarantine, Cebu City. Kayo lang,” he said.
According to the President, some people of Cebu have been “stubborn” after allegedly failing to observe the strict lockdown rules meant to slow down the transmissions. Others allegedly spotted drinking and gambling were also “nonchalant” to the coronavirus threat.
“Ngayon kita mo bakit marami? Well, one of the reasons really I would say even without consulting the body because you did not follow rules. Hindi ganoon karami ‘yan. You have the highest. Cebu is now the hotspot for COVID. Bakit? Eh wala mo musunod eh. Marami sa inyo hindi sumunod,” the President said.
“Kaya huwag ninyo akong magalit-galit kayo sa akin. Look, I am here to run government. I’m not here to stay forever. As a matter of fact, I am on my last two years. God, you better shape up,” he said.
Duterte said the situation in Cebu City was unlike in Metro Manila and other areas where most residents have obeyed the quarantine rules for their own safety and health.
“Ang Maynila and the rest of the Greater Manila Area medyo – there was a substantial compliance. I would not say that there was no violation. There were violations but not in a scale I saw in other places,” he said.
Apart from the National Capital Region, areas under GCQ are Benguet, Cavite, Rizal, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Leyte, Ormoc City, Southern Leyte, Talisay City, and Minglanilla and Consolacion in Cebu.
The GCQ areas are now fewer compared to the list of places last month after some have graduated to the modified general community quarantine. Areas that were downgraded to MGCQ are Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Santiago City, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Tarlac, Olongapo City, Laguna, Batangas, Quezon, Occidental Mindoro, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.
Places under MGCQ are Abra, Baguio City, Ifugao, Kalinga, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Angeles City, Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, Lucena City, Palawan, and Puerto Princesa City.
Also under MGCQ are Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Naga City, Capiz, Iloilo, Iloilo City, Negros Occidental, Bacolod City, Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Tacloban City, Western Samar, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur, Bukidnon, Misami Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao City, Davao de Oro, Cotabato, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Butuan City, Lanao del Sur, and Maguindanao.
Meanwhile, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez on Tuesday said the government should consider further relaxing the quarantine restrictions in Metro Manila and Region 4-A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Quezon, and Rizal area) to boost economic activities and limiting future lockdowns on the level of barangays and even companies that record high cases of coronavirus.
Dominguez proposed the shift of the two regions to the MGCQ “as quickly as possible” during a meeting with Duterte as these areas comprise 67 percent of the country’s economy. (Genalyn Kabiling)