National Capital Region (NCR) mayors have yet to release their recommendation on the new quarantine status of Metro Manila that will take place after the current enhanced community quarantine.
San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora said in an interview with DZMM that they are currently voting whether to extend or de-escalate the prevailing ECQ over the region on Wednesday (Aug. 18).
“Kung manatili tayo sa ECQ, talagang mahihirapan tayong lahat in terms of business, economy, ‘yung kabuhayan natin. Kung mag-downgrade naman tayo at magluwag nang kaunti, posibleng mas maraming mamatay,” Zamora said.
“We are trying to find a balance, at kung anong klaseng pagbabalanse ang pwedeng gawin na hindi naman mahirapan masyado ang ating mamamayan,” he added.
Zamora said their recommendation is expected within the day, or before the meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Thursday (Aug. 19).
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairperson Benhur Abalos said the Metro Manila Council (MMC) has been discussing the matter since Tuesday (Aug. 17) evening.
Metro Manila was placed under ECQ during the first week of the month due to an increasing number of cases and due to the threat of variants.
Malacaῆang earlier said that the decision on the new quarantine will balance health and other factors.
“Our objective is to achieve total health. Hindi naman po pupuwedeng mapapababa ang numero ang mga COVID, samantalang napakataas naman po ang naghihirap dahil sa kagutuman. So, I think we are one in IATF to find that delicate balance of total health,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said. – (PTV News)/AG-bny
