Tolentino opposes Metro Manila lockdown
Published Mar 11, 2020 12:00 am
By Vanne Elaine Terrazola
Senator Francis Tolentino has opposed the proposal to implement a Metro Manila lockdown amid the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
(FRANCIS TOLENTINO/FACEBOOK/MANILA BULLETIN)
Describing it as "very extreme," Tolentino said doing so would adversely affect the Philippines.
"Hindi naman ngayon kagaya ng Lombardy sa Italy, or ng Wuhan sa China, so dapat siguro araling mabuti yan kasi malaki ang epekto sa ekonomiya (We are not yet like Lombardy in Italy, or Wuhan in China now, so I think we should carefully study that because it will greatly affect our economy)," Tolentino said.
"Nandito lahat (Everything is here): the Philippine Stock Exchange, central administrative region, central government. It will cripple the entire economy of the nation if you do that," he warned.
Albay Representative Joey Salceda had made the suggestion Monday as he called for "decisive" measures from the government against the COVID-19. Implementing a lockdown would slow down the transmission of the virus, he said.
The former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman, however, believed that a "localized" lockdown of certain communities with several positive COVID-19 cases would be more feasible.
"In case na dumating talaga sa extreme health emergency siguro (that we come to an extreme health emergency, maybe) that’s the time . Pero sa ngayon hindi pa siguro (But for now, I think it's not yet necessary)," Tolentino said.
The Department of Health (DOH) said it is premature to place the National Capital Region on a lockdown as there is still no evidence of sustained community transmission of the COVID-19.
President Duterte also said that it is still "too early" to "close down the economy."
Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said Metro Manila authorities will be ready for it should the DOH raise the COVID-19 alert level to Code Red sublevel 2 due to the rising number of positive cases.
A state of public health emergency has been declared in the Philippines due to COVID-19. As of Tuesday, the country has 33 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
(FRANCIS TOLENTINO/FACEBOOK/MANILA BULLETIN)
Describing it as "very extreme," Tolentino said doing so would adversely affect the Philippines.
"Hindi naman ngayon kagaya ng Lombardy sa Italy, or ng Wuhan sa China, so dapat siguro araling mabuti yan kasi malaki ang epekto sa ekonomiya (We are not yet like Lombardy in Italy, or Wuhan in China now, so I think we should carefully study that because it will greatly affect our economy)," Tolentino said.
"Nandito lahat (Everything is here): the Philippine Stock Exchange, central administrative region, central government. It will cripple the entire economy of the nation if you do that," he warned.
Albay Representative Joey Salceda had made the suggestion Monday as he called for "decisive" measures from the government against the COVID-19. Implementing a lockdown would slow down the transmission of the virus, he said.
The former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman, however, believed that a "localized" lockdown of certain communities with several positive COVID-19 cases would be more feasible.
"In case na dumating talaga sa extreme health emergency siguro (that we come to an extreme health emergency, maybe) that’s the time . Pero sa ngayon hindi pa siguro (But for now, I think it's not yet necessary)," Tolentino said.
The Department of Health (DOH) said it is premature to place the National Capital Region on a lockdown as there is still no evidence of sustained community transmission of the COVID-19.
President Duterte also said that it is still "too early" to "close down the economy."
Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said Metro Manila authorities will be ready for it should the DOH raise the COVID-19 alert level to Code Red sublevel 2 due to the rising number of positive cases.
A state of public health emergency has been declared in the Philippines due to COVID-19. As of Tuesday, the country has 33 confirmed cases of COVID-19.