MANILA, Philippines — The government is in for a "tougher situation" once quarantine measures are relaxed, Malacañang admitted Monday, as it reminded the public that life won't return to normal until a vaccine for the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 is developed.
President Rodrigo Duterte is set to meet with members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases Monday night to discuss whether to lift or extend the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila and other high-risk areas.
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Once the ECQ is downgraded to a general community quarantine (GCQ), public transportation will be allowed but at a reduced capacity and some establishments can reopen but are required to comply with safe physical distancing and other health measures.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said a GCQ is harder to implement because more people would be out in the streets, a scenario that would require the government to ensure that social distancing is observed.
"So we acknowledge, this will be a tougher situation under GCQ but we are doing this because (people) need to have livelihood. Ultimately, we will ask for everyone's cooperation. I will repeat... while there is no vaccine, no medicine, there is a need for social distancing. If you can avoid going out of your house, do not go out of your house," Roque said at a press briefing.
"Well, it's really harder to implement because people will be allowed to go out of their houses and there will be transportation. The lesson we learned is if you really want them to stay home, remove public transport," he added.
High-risk areas that will remain under ECQ until May 15 are Metro Manila, Central Luzon except Aurora province, CALABARZON, Pangasinan, Benguet, Albay, Iloilo including Iloilo City, Cebu including Cebu City, Bacolod City, Zamboanga City, and Davao City.
Metro Manila, home to 12 million people and contributor of more than a third of the Philippine's economy, and other parts of Luzon have been under ECQ since March 17.
The lockdown was the main reason why the Philippine economy contracted by 0.2% in the first quarter, the first since 1998 during the combined El Niño and Asian Financial Crisis.
Metro Manila mayors do not have a unified stand with regard to relaxing the ECQ. Ten out of 17 of them are in favor of extending the ECQ while seven are for placing the capital region under GCQ. Another possible scenario is the imposition of a modified lockdown wherein local governments can impose a lockdown on some barangays.
Roque reiterated that only some Metro Manila areas may remain under ECQ after May 15.
"We will base the decision on the data and determine which areas have high cases of COVID-10, how fast the virus is spreading in these places, and the capacity to provide critical care for those who may get sick. We will also consider our economy," the Palace spokesman said.
"Trust the IATF. We have experts, we have epidemiologists, we have statisticians, we’re working with academicians. This will be a reasoned decision, a scientific decision and it is not based on politics or any other consideration," he added.
Roque said the public should not be complacent in the event quarantine restrictions are relaxed.
"Whether it's ECQ or GCQ, the 'CQ' is still there. We are still under community quarantine. Life will not be back to normal until we don't have a vaccine or medicine..If we don't observe social distancing, if we don't practice good hygiene, our hospitals will be over overwhelmed," he said.
"It's in our hands, whether the cases of COVID-19 will rise or fall," he added.