Metro Manila mayors more likely to extend GCQ

MANILA – Metro Manila mayors may likely agree to extend the general community quarantine (GCQ) for another month even when the Covid-19 cases subsides.

According to Parañaque City Mayor and Metro Manila Council (MMC) chairman Edwin Olivarez he believes that keeping the GCQ raised for another month would be benefitial to curb the spread of the virus.

Olivarez said that he has been talking with the other Mayors and the majority thinks that it is better to retain the GCQ status for the whole month of October.

Extending the GCQ for another month may be enough time to later downgrade the restrictions to a modified general community quarantine in the Metro Manila.

Olivarez added that DOH has seen a  decrease in the record of new COVID-19 cases especially in the National Capital Region but that is no reason to be complacent about it.

He said that they see a downtrend of cases being recorded particularly in Parañaque where new cases were reduced to as much as 20% every week in the past 4 weeks.

MMC is composed of 17 mayors. They will be meeting on Sunday to decide the fate of NCR as the city still registers the highest new COVID-19 cases being recorded daily.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan has ordered the deployment of police personnel in the city as well as other areas under GCQ to anticipate the decision on Sunday. Coscolan’s directive is to put more police on the street to ensure and enforce the government’s implementation of physical distancing, wearing of face masks and other health protocols issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.