Life will not return to normal yet even under GCQ -- Palace
Published May 11, 2020 12:00 am
By Genalyn Kabiling
Life will not yet return to normal even if some areas will be placed under the more relaxed general community quarantine (GCQ) beyond May 15, Malacañang said Monday.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque
(Jansen Romero/ MANILA BULLETIN) Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said any shift from enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to GCQ still requires the public to observe health protocols, including physical distancing rule, until the vaccine to the new coronavirus disease is found. A decision on whether to lift or extend ECQ in Metro Manila and other high-risk areas beyond May 15 will be tackled in President Duterte's meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) on Monday. The President is expected to deliver a message to the public afterwards, according to Roque. "Whether it be ECQ, GCQ, may CQ pa rin (There is still CQ). We are still under community quarantine," he said during a virtual press conference at the Palace Monday. "Life will not be back to normal hanggang wala pang bakuna (if there is still no vaccine)," he added. Even if GCQ is declared in some areas, Roque said the situation remains "critical" since the threat of coronavirus has not yet been eliminated. With no coronavirus vaccine still in sight, he admitted that people cannot yet return to their pre-coronavirus lives. “Hindi pa rin tapos ang quarantine kaya kinakailangan na mag-ingat tayo. Dahil ang ibig sabihin lang ng pagbaba ng ECQ sa GCQ, mayroon pa rin banta. Hindi ganun katindi pero kapag binaba sa GCQ, 'yan po ay critical pa rin ang ating sitwasyon (The quarantine is not yet over so we have to be careful. The shift from ECQ to GCQ means the threat remains. It may not be severe but the situation is still critical even if GCQ is declared)," he said. "Hindi na tayo pupuwedeng bumalik sa normal na bago dumating ang COVID-19 habang walang bakuna, habang walang gamot. Kung tayo magpipilit na magbubulag-bulagan sa COVID-19, baka ang kapalit niyan ang ating mga buhay (We cannot go back to normal life before COVID-19 until there is no vaccine, no cure. If we insist or turn a blind eye to COVID-19, our lives will be at stake)," he said. Regardless of the quarantine status, Roque urged anew the public to embrace physical distancing and hygiene measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus. He warned that the country's healthcare capacity might be overwhelmed with cases if the public will ignore health precautions. "Nasa kamay natin kung tataas o bababa ang kaso ng COVID-19 (It's in our hands on whether the COVID-19 cases will rise or fall)," he said. The IATF was scheduled to meet on Monday afternoon to finalize its recommendation on the lifting or extension of ECQ in Metro Manila and other high-risk areas beyond May 15. The recommendation will then be submitted to the President for his decision. Roque assured the public that the imminent decision on the quarantine status will be "reasoned" and "scientific." He raised the possibility that some places in Metro Manila may be placed under modified quarantine depending on health and economic factors. "Ang sinabi ko po last Saturday, ang buong Metro Manila po ay hindi magiging ECQ, ang buong Metro Manila ay hindi magiging GCQ. Ibabase po ang desisyon sa datos noong mga lugar kung saan mataas ang COVID-19. Kung gaano kabilis kumakalat ang COVID-19 sa mga lugar na ito. At saka iyong pagkakaroon ng critical care para doon sa posibleng magkasakit. At iko-consider din po natin iyong ekonomiya (I said last Saturday that the entire Metro Manila may not be under ECQ, the entire Metro Manila may not be under GCQ. The decision will be based on data on how high the cases are, how fast the spread of COVID 19 in these places is, and the capacity of critical care to those who might get sick. We will also consider the economy)," he said. He said the task force will also listen to the suggestion of the Metro Manila mayors on the quarantine options since they are the primary implementers of the community quarantine in their areas. "But trust the IATF, we have experts, we have epidemiologists, statisticians. We are working with academicians. This will be a reasoned decision, a scientific decision and it is not based on politics and any other considerations," he said. Roque admitted that general community quarantine will be more difficult to implement since more people are allowed to leave their homes for work. He said they expect law enforcers to continue to ensure compliance with the quarantine regulations. "We acknowledge this will be a tougher situation under GCQ pero ginagawa natin ito dahil kinakailangan naman magkaroon ng hanapbuhay. Ultimately, hihingin namin ang kooperasyon ng lahat (we are doing this because livelihood is needed. Ultimately, we will ask for the cooperation of everyone)," he said. The President earlier signed Executive Order No. 112 imposing ECQ in Metro Manila and several other high-risk areas in the country until mid-May. The ECQ regulations include home quarantine except for essential activities, suspension of public transportation and classes, and ban on large gatherings. The stringent quarantine rules began since mid-March. Several areas with low and moderate risk of the coronavirus spread, on the other hand, are under general community quarantine. Under GCQ, public transportation will be allowed to operate in reduced capacity while several businesses and services may reopen subject to health protocols.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque(Jansen Romero/ MANILA BULLETIN) Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said any shift from enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to GCQ still requires the public to observe health protocols, including physical distancing rule, until the vaccine to the new coronavirus disease is found. A decision on whether to lift or extend ECQ in Metro Manila and other high-risk areas beyond May 15 will be tackled in President Duterte's meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) on Monday. The President is expected to deliver a message to the public afterwards, according to Roque. "Whether it be ECQ, GCQ, may CQ pa rin (There is still CQ). We are still under community quarantine," he said during a virtual press conference at the Palace Monday. "Life will not be back to normal hanggang wala pang bakuna (if there is still no vaccine)," he added. Even if GCQ is declared in some areas, Roque said the situation remains "critical" since the threat of coronavirus has not yet been eliminated. With no coronavirus vaccine still in sight, he admitted that people cannot yet return to their pre-coronavirus lives. “Hindi pa rin tapos ang quarantine kaya kinakailangan na mag-ingat tayo. Dahil ang ibig sabihin lang ng pagbaba ng ECQ sa GCQ, mayroon pa rin banta. Hindi ganun katindi pero kapag binaba sa GCQ, 'yan po ay critical pa rin ang ating sitwasyon (The quarantine is not yet over so we have to be careful. The shift from ECQ to GCQ means the threat remains. It may not be severe but the situation is still critical even if GCQ is declared)," he said. "Hindi na tayo pupuwedeng bumalik sa normal na bago dumating ang COVID-19 habang walang bakuna, habang walang gamot. Kung tayo magpipilit na magbubulag-bulagan sa COVID-19, baka ang kapalit niyan ang ating mga buhay (We cannot go back to normal life before COVID-19 until there is no vaccine, no cure. If we insist or turn a blind eye to COVID-19, our lives will be at stake)," he said. Regardless of the quarantine status, Roque urged anew the public to embrace physical distancing and hygiene measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus. He warned that the country's healthcare capacity might be overwhelmed with cases if the public will ignore health precautions. "Nasa kamay natin kung tataas o bababa ang kaso ng COVID-19 (It's in our hands on whether the COVID-19 cases will rise or fall)," he said. The IATF was scheduled to meet on Monday afternoon to finalize its recommendation on the lifting or extension of ECQ in Metro Manila and other high-risk areas beyond May 15. The recommendation will then be submitted to the President for his decision. Roque assured the public that the imminent decision on the quarantine status will be "reasoned" and "scientific." He raised the possibility that some places in Metro Manila may be placed under modified quarantine depending on health and economic factors. "Ang sinabi ko po last Saturday, ang buong Metro Manila po ay hindi magiging ECQ, ang buong Metro Manila ay hindi magiging GCQ. Ibabase po ang desisyon sa datos noong mga lugar kung saan mataas ang COVID-19. Kung gaano kabilis kumakalat ang COVID-19 sa mga lugar na ito. At saka iyong pagkakaroon ng critical care para doon sa posibleng magkasakit. At iko-consider din po natin iyong ekonomiya (I said last Saturday that the entire Metro Manila may not be under ECQ, the entire Metro Manila may not be under GCQ. The decision will be based on data on how high the cases are, how fast the spread of COVID 19 in these places is, and the capacity of critical care to those who might get sick. We will also consider the economy)," he said. He said the task force will also listen to the suggestion of the Metro Manila mayors on the quarantine options since they are the primary implementers of the community quarantine in their areas. "But trust the IATF, we have experts, we have epidemiologists, statisticians. We are working with academicians. This will be a reasoned decision, a scientific decision and it is not based on politics and any other considerations," he said. Roque admitted that general community quarantine will be more difficult to implement since more people are allowed to leave their homes for work. He said they expect law enforcers to continue to ensure compliance with the quarantine regulations. "We acknowledge this will be a tougher situation under GCQ pero ginagawa natin ito dahil kinakailangan naman magkaroon ng hanapbuhay. Ultimately, hihingin namin ang kooperasyon ng lahat (we are doing this because livelihood is needed. Ultimately, we will ask for the cooperation of everyone)," he said. The President earlier signed Executive Order No. 112 imposing ECQ in Metro Manila and several other high-risk areas in the country until mid-May. The ECQ regulations include home quarantine except for essential activities, suspension of public transportation and classes, and ban on large gatherings. The stringent quarantine rules began since mid-March. Several areas with low and moderate risk of the coronavirus spread, on the other hand, are under general community quarantine. Under GCQ, public transportation will be allowed to operate in reduced capacity while several businesses and services may reopen subject to health protocols.