By Daniel Manalastas
Solons expressed concern as Metro Manila is once again placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine along with nearby provinces.
House Ways and Means Vice Chairperson and AAMBIS-OWA Party-list Rep. Sharon Garin believes that, “ECQ for me will still have the same impact as before. Whether Holy Week or hindi man (not) Holy Week, it will close down the entire economy in NCR (National Capital Region).”
“‘Pag walang bumibili, walang magsu-supply. ‘Pag walang magsu-supply apektado rin ‘yung buong bansa because most of our supplies, for example, would come from the province. So wala ring activities, nado-domino effect na rin siya, (If no one is buying, no one will supply. If there is no supply, the whole country is affected because most of our supplies, for example, would come from the province. So there will be no activities, there will be a domino effect),” the lawmaker elaborated.
However, the solon is hopeful of the ECQ’s positive effect to public health as COVID-19 cases continue to spike over the past week. The Health Department reported not less than 9,000 new COVID-19 cases over the past 3 days.
“But health-wise, hopefully if we all behave, I think we’ll cut down from 10,000… I mean from 10,000 it will lower naman in 1 week or 2 weeks,” Garin surmised.
Meanwhile, Marikina City 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo said that the estimated cost of the ECQ to the economy amounts to ₱18 billion pesos per day.
“Ang laki noon but having said that, mukhang kinakailangan talaga sa sobrang tindi ng ating COVID situation ngayon (That’s big but having said that, it looks like there is really a need for it since our COVID situation has worsened,” Rep. Quimbo pointed out.
“Pero tandaan natin, marami pa riyan hindi reported ha. Sa pag-iikot ko pa lang, nararamdaman ko talaga na baka under-reported talaga ‘yung maraming cases [But we have to remember, there are many unreported [cases]. In my rounds alone, I really could feel that many cases are under-reported),” she observed.
Rep. Quimbo, along with Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and several lawmakers, are pushing to legislate a bill that will provide cash assistance to every Filipinos. Quimbo and Velasco are pushing for the Bayanihan 3 or the Bayanihan to Arise as One Act.
For her part, Quimbo is willing to consolidate all the bills as they all have the same purpose except for one.
“‘Yung naiwan lang, is ‘yung kay former Speaker Alan Cayetano because na sa ibang committee siya. But having said that, binabasa rin namin ‘yung bill niya and very similar po roon sa bills na pinag-uusapan ngayon, (Left behind is that of former Speaker Alan Cayetano because he belongs to another committee. But having said that, we are also reading his bill and it is very similar to the other bills being discussed,” Quimbo clarified.
Both Garin and Quimbo said that Bayanihan 3 will be tackled tomorrow for committee discussions.
