After thorough discussion among authorities and experts, President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to decide on the classification of community quarantine to be implemented in different parts of the country on August.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque disclosed that aside from the new quarantine measures, there will be great changes in the government’s response to the COVID-19 situation starting next month.
“I will not preempt the President. Pero gaya ng sinabi ko (As I have said), it will not be business as usual. At kagaya po ng sinabi ni Secretary Galvez (And like what Secretary Galvez said), in our next phase of our National Action plan, we will allow local governments to play a bigger role. We will also ask (the) private sector to play a bigger role, and we will ask individuals to observe public health standards at the barest minimum,” Roque said.
President Duterte is set to meet the IATF-EID today. The Palace is yet to confirm if the public address will be aired tonight or tomorrow morning.
Roque also clarified his statement on Metro Manila as a “living experiment.”
“Well siguro po hindi niyo lang naintindihan, pero mayroon pong mga bago tayong initiative na sisimulan. At kasama na po riyan yung tinatawag nating pooled testing, PCR pooled testing, kung saan ang isang test kit ay gagamitin natin sa sampung tao at kung lahat po sila ay negatibo, lahat po sila ay negatibo (You might have just misunderstood but we are starting a new initiative to follow including what we call pooled testing. The PCR pooled testing shall use one test kit for 10 individuals. If it tests negative, they will be considered negative),” Roque explained.
“Pero kung mayroon pong positibo, hahanapin po natin kung sino ang positibo. Sa pamamagitan po kasi ng pooled testing, mamu-multiply natin by 10 ang ating actual testing capacity (If it’s positive, we will find the individual. Through pooled testing, the actual testing capacity can be multiplied by 10),” he added.
Meanwhile, the Palace thanked Vice President Robredo for reechoing the President’s call on local businesses and Plant, Plant, Plant. This was after the recent public address of the VP where she laid out recommendations to improve government measures to address the pandemic. – Report from Mela Lesmoras
