By Alec Go
President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night (May 31) extended the general community quarantine (GCQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus Area until June 15.
The GCQ extension in the NCR Plus Bubble covering Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal will still have restrictions such as limitations on allowed industries’ capacity.
Other areas under GCQ until June 30 are Abra, Baguio City, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Batangas, Quezon, Iligan City, Davao City, Lanao del Sur, and Cotabato City.
Modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) was imposed on Santiago City, Cagayan, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Puerto Princesa, Iloilo City, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Cagayan de Oro City, Butuan City, and Agusan del Sur until June 15.
According to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, an increase of COVID-19 cases has been observed in areas outside the NCR Plus Bubble in the past seven days.
“Bumibilis din ang pagtaas ng kaso sa Mindanao, kaya binabantayan ang Mindanao sa kasalukuyan kung saan mas marami ang kasong naitala kumpara sa NCR,” Duque said.
“Madalas kong sabihin na we’re not yet out of the woods dahil may kataasan pa rin ang mga naitatala na mga kaso kada araw,” he added.
As of May 30, the intensive care units (ICU) utilization rate in Region 9 and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are at critical risk.
More vaccines coming in
The government reported that the Philippines has already administered at least 5,180,721 doses, with the one million vaccination output in March and April tripled before May’s end.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said during Duterte’s public address that 9,950,000 vaccine doses are expected to be delivered in the country this June.
“Siguro mid-June, doon na tayo mag-start [magbakuna] ng A4 at A5 kapag mayroon na tayong enough volume. We are considering also that by August, magkakaroon na tayo ng mass vaccination,” he said.
Meanwhile, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez said President Joseph Biden will announce this week the distribution of 80 million doses to be given to other nations.
Romualdez said there is no exact figure yet for the number of donated vaccines, but added that the Philippines is included in the first batch.
“It’s just really part of a program that they have, that will start really helping other nations to be able to fight this virus. But the Philippines definitely will receive [from] the first batch of this 80 million that President Biden will announce sometime this week,” he said. – jlo
