AMID pressures for an extension of the prevailing community quarantine level, Malacañang opted to keep mum on what President Rodrigo Duterte has to say or would come up with when he shows up again on Wednesday for his weekly national address.
According to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, he said that it is more likely that Duterte would make the announcement himself.
“Baka si Presidente na po ang mag anunsiyo dahil meron to po siyang Talk to the People sa Wednesday,” Roque told reporters in a press briefing.
The modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) protocol currently in effect in the National Capital Region and the adjacent provinces of Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan and Rizal is set to expire on April 30. Prior to this, these areas were placed under ECQ, the strictest lockdown classification, for two weeks beginning March 29.
“Bukas po ibibigay ang recommendation kay Presidente. Tinitignan po natin iyong daily attack rate, two-week attack rate and our health care utilization,” Roque added.
The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases is set to meet on Tuesday to discuss recommendations on the next quarantine classifications for NCR and the four provinces.
Interestingly, Roque somehow gave a hint on what should be expected come Wednesday. He said that while the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country is close to breaching the one million mark, the palace mouthpiece took emphasis on the number of recoveries which according to him stands at over 900,000 people. He also cited what he aptly described as a relatively lower fatality rate than the other countries have recorded.
“Huwag lang po nating tignan iyong total. Tignan rin natin iyong datos na gumagaling, ‘yung case fatality rate natin ay 1.7 percent compared sa average na 2.1 percent,” averred Roque, who again insisted that the one-million mark total “is not a negative reflection on us. We have been managing the new [COVID-19] variants rather well.”
Aside from the OCTA Research Group, the Department of Health is supporting a proposal to extend implementing the second strictest form of coronavirus lockdown in Metro Manila and the 4 surrounding provinces for one to two more weeks.