SURVIVOR PHILIPPINES. President Rodrigo Duterte approved on Thursday night the proposal of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious to place Metro Manila under general community quarantine (GCQ) by June 1. The downgrade is consistent with the recommendation of the 17 chief executives of Metro Manila. The placement suggests that the National Capitol Region (NCR) survives from being a high risk to a moderate risk area.
The President said, “You know the NCR will now be placed under the general community quarantine or the GCQ starting June 1.” Other areas in the country placed under the GCQ for 15 days are Cagayan Valley, Davao City, Central Luzon, Pangasinan, and Albay. The President placed the rest of the country under modified GCQ. The GCQ placement of Metro Manila will revivify the the country’s economy, which is fatally hit by the pandemic and help workers who are most affected by the pandemic.
The President’s pronouncement came despite the sudden surge of new cases with the new highest single-day record of 539 new cases erasing the 538 cases recorded in March 31, 2020. The Department of Health explained that the upsurge in the number of new cases is due to the improved capacity to testing. As of Thursday, the country has 15, 588 confirmed cases of DOVID-19 with 3, 598 recoveries and 921 deaths. Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire pointed out on Thursday that the doubling time of cases slowed down to 7 days.
The placement of NCR under GCQ means that mass transportation such as the metro trains , shuttles of private companies, and point-to-point buses. Transport network vehicle services such as GrabCar, taxis, and tricycles will be allowed to run. Prior to the Presidet’s speech, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said that only 50% of the buses will be allowed to operate under GCQ. Modern jeepney operations are still suspended for three more weeks. Residents will also be allowed to head out except for those below 21 years old and those who are 60 years old and older.
Meanwhile, the pronouncement did not sit well with some netizens. They express their disagreement on social media. SURVIVOR PHILIPPINES trended on Twitter hours after the President’s speech on the placement of certain areas in the country under general community quarantine (GCQ).
