BY ARGYLL GEDUCOS
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said some Metro Manila cities may actually appeal for less strict quarantine classifications due to their improving COVID-19 situation.
Nograles made the statement days before President Duterte makes a decision on the new COVID-19 quarantine classifications by Tuesday.
In a Facebook Live video, Nograles said based on the preliminary findings of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, some cities in Metro Manila are actually improving in terms of transmission and positivity rates.
He said they will make the recommendation to the President on Monday so he can make a decision by Tuesday.
“Based sa mga nakikita natin na mga numero sa iba’t ibang siyudad ng Metro Manila, meron tayong mga siyudad na gumaganda na ang mga numbers, ‘yung indicators niya,” he said.
“Ibig sabihin bumababa na po ‘yung mga kaso ng COVID, bumababa na po ‘yung rate ng transmission, bumababa na po ‘yung sinasabi nilang attack rate, nakikita nila na ‘yung hospital capacity medyo lumuluwag na, at nakikita naman po nila na ‘yung rate of transmission ay nag-slowdown na,” he added.
Nograles, IATF co-chair, said this allows some cities in Metro Manila to actually appeal for less strict quarantine classifications.
“Technically speaking, some of the cities puwede mag-appeal ng lower classification. ‘Yung maganda ‘yung mga nakikita nating numero,” he said.
However, the Palace official acknowledged that the region’s mayors have always pushed for a consensus.
“Sa Sunday, meron po atang meeting ang mga Metro Manila mayors para mapakita sa kanila na ito na nga po ‘yung indicators natin, mga numero, per city,” Nograles said.
Metro Manila is still under the general community quarantine (GCQ) until Sept. 30 after a two-week reversion to the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) last month.
