The Metro Manila Council (MMC) will not recommend the next community quarantine status to be implemented in the National Capital Region and instead will defer to the decision of the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID).
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and concurrent MMC Chairman Benhur Abalos said the decision of the Metro Manila mayors who are at the battleground is very critical as they seek to find balance of health and economic concerns.
“The LGUs are at the forefront and they know what is really happening on the ground but we have to weigh both economic and health factors in our decision. We deem it best to leave the decision to the wisdom and judgement of the IATF,” said Abalos.
He assured that whatever community quarantine status will be implemented after August 20, the LGUs will continue ramping up their Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Treat-Reintegrate (PDITR) measures to further curb and mitigate the spread of the virus, especially this time when the highly transmissible Delta variant have become more aggressive.
“Whatever the decision of the IATF will be, the mayors committed to continue doubling up their vaccination efforts. Stricter implementation of health protocols and comprehensive testing and contact tracing will also be continuously imposed,” he added.
Abalos explained that the recent enhanced community quarantine is different from the past ECQs as the government has already started its vaccination program.
“Critical COVID-19 cases are lesser despite the rise in the number of active cases as majority of Metro Manila residents already received their jabs.” Abalos said.