METROPOLITAN Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benhur Abalos asserted that the Metro Manila Council (MMC) has agreed on the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IAFT-EID) to place Metro Manila under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) from August 21 to 31.
In a statement released on Friday, Abalos shared that prior to the IATF’s announcement, the local government units (LGUs) of the National Capital Region (NCR) have already been adhering to granular lockdowns where areas deemed at risk are highly assessed.
“With the MECQ classification in effect, granular lockdowns shall be intensified, with the LGUs identifying areas where there are spikes in COVID-19 cases,” Abalos stated.
On August 18, NCR mayors have deferred to the IATF regarding the region’s new quarantine classification as the city chiefs believed that the IATF holds enough data and basis on measuring essential factors such as health and economic before coming up with a decision.
In the hope to further control the woes brought about by the COVID-19 transmission, the MMDA chief also urged the LGUs to expand its mass testing, immediate isolation, and contact tracing.
As of August 20, the country received 585,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines. Of these, 79 percent will be distributed to 38 LGUs and the MMDA while 21 percent will be provided for private companies.
In line with Metro Manila’s preparation to curb positive cases, Abalos also extended his gratitude to all officials who granted the region’s request to effectively push through their mass testing and tracing programs.
“On behalf of the Metro Manila Council, I would like to express our gratitude to Senator Richard Gordon, chairman and chief executive officer of the Philippine Red Cross, and Sec. Vince Dizon, Deputy Chief Implementer and testing czar,for granting our request for more COVID-19 test kits,” Abalos expressed.
“We also thank the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for renewing the contracts of hired contact tracers, vital to sustain our contact tracing efforts to decrease the spread of the virus,” he added.
Abalos further acknowledged the condition of hospitals which have reached full capacity amid the accumulating COVID-19 cases. He then sought for the help of Office of Civil Defense (OCD) for the provision of more accessible hotels as standby isolation facilities to accommodate additional patients.
The MMDA chairman lastly assured that the region will remain intact and will closely coordinate with the Philippine National Police (PNP) to strictly impose granular lockdowns and observe proper monitoring on the residents’ compliance to minimum health protocols.