The government has not yet discussed the implementation of a stricter lockdown following the increase in number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
“Wala pa kaming napag-uusapang lockdown (No lockdown has been discussed yet). As is pa rin,” NTF against COVID-19 Chairperson and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed.
Despite this, Lorenzana said that the national government is encouraging local government units to strengthen their enforcement of health protocols in their respective areas.
It has been observed that LGUs have been lax in their implementation of health protocols.
“We are giving the burden to the local government units… we are throwing it back to them kasi we told them na kung hindi niyo gagawin yan ay maglolockdown tayo. Mahirap din kayo, mahirap ang lahat (because we told them that if you will not do it, we are going on lockdown. You will be poor and so will everybody,” Sec. Lorenzana reminded.
The defense chief admitted that the government is alarmed over the spike in new COVID-19 cases per day prompting IATF Chairperson Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to release a new directive to hospitals.
“Yesterday, the IATF Chairman Secretary Duque requested or directed the hospitals to increase their COVID-19 beds from 20 percent to 35 percent to accommodate yung mga bagong cases (the new cases),” Lorenzana added. — Bea Bernardo
