By Mela Lesmoras
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced on Tuesday that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) is set to meet on Black Saturday, April 3, to finalize whether or not to extend the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) placed on the National Capital Region and the nearby provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.
The NCR Plus is currently under a week-long ECQ effective until April 4, but some experts believe it should be extended so as to fully see its positive effects on curbing the surge of COVID-19 cases in the country.
During his virtual press briefing, Secretary Roque said, as of the moment, there is a fifty percent chance for a prolonged lockdown.
“I would say it’s a 50-50. We’re hoping na iyong one-week bubble natin, at saka iyong one-week na ECQ natin ay would lead to lower numbers. Ang pinaka-importante is our critical care capacity (We’re hoping our one-week bubble and one-week ECQ would lead to lower numbers. The most important thing is our critical care capacity),” the Palace official said.
“[On] Black Saturday, we will meet, and we could have a briefing to announce kung ano ‘yung [magiging final] quarantine classification either Saturday or Sunday (the final decision on the quarantine classification either Saturday or Sunday).”
Be it extended or not, Secretary Roque assured the Filipinos affected by the current ECQ that the government aid, through the Supplemental Amelioration Program, will be released anytime soon.
“Sa lalong mabilis na panahon po ‘yan, ngayong napirmahan na po ni Presidente, it takes seconds para ilipat ng DBM iyong pera sa mga LGUs (At the soonest time possible, now that the President has signed it, it takes seconds for DBM to transfer the money to the LGUs),” he said.
“Now, iyong pinirmahan po ni Presidente is already silent on whether or not it’s in cash or in kind, so that’s the call of the LGU. Basta ang gustong mangyari ng Presidente, sa lalong mabilis na panahon, makarating ang ayuda (Now, what the President signed is already silent on whether or not it’s in cash or in kind, so that’s the call of the LGU. What the President wants is for the aid to be distributed at the soonest tine possible),” Sec. Roque concluded.
