MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority denied Saturday that mayors in the capital region have agreed to extend enhanced community quarantine until the end of the month.
“The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority denies a news report quoting Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez that all metro mayors have agreed to extend the enhanced community quarantine until August 30,” it said in a statement.
MMDA chairman Benhur Abalos said he spoke with Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez who refuted the story and denied that a meeting with Metro Manila mayors on the topic of extending ECQ occurred.
The MMDA did not name the news outlet that published the article, but a now deleted article by the Manila Bulletin claimed that Olivarez said that Metro Manila mayors have agreed to extend ECQ in the capital region beyond August 20.
The same article also quotes Olivarez as saying that no additional businesses will be allowed to operate under ECQ since August is a “ghost month for Chinese businessmen.”
Abalos said that Metro Manila mayors, who sit in the Metro Manila Council, will make recommendations based on data, the capabilities of local governments and the advice of health and economic experts.
For now, Abalos said Metro Manila mayors are still focused on COVID-19 cases in their areas, vaccine rollout and the distribution of cash aid.
Department of Health spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire told state TV that the government’s pandemic task force is still studying whether to extend ECQ over Metro Manila or ease to the more lenient modified ECQ, as pitched by Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.
Metro Manila has been on lockdown since August 6 to curb the spread of the highly infectious Delta coronavirus variant, which has been detected in all 16 cities and the lone municipality in the capital region.
Health authorities have so far detected 627 cases of the Delta variant in the Philippines. — Xave Gregorio