Carlito Galvez
Vaccine czar and chief implementer of the National Action Plan vs Covid-19 Carlito Galvez Jr. on Thursday said Metro Manila mayors insisted on retaining the capital region’s general community quarantine (GCQ) at least until the end of holiday season.
“Mag-usap-usap po kami ng mga mayor, talagang very cautious po sila na magkaroon po ng (modified GCQ) dito sa Manila,” Galvez told reporters in a Palace briefing.
Modified GCQ (MGCQ) is the least stringent community quarantine classification. Metro Manila has not been under MGCQ since the imposition of community lockdowns in March.
“Ang recommendation po (ng mayors) ay just in case, magkaroon man ng easing of restriction, ay maybe next year after the holidays,” Galvez said.
A less stringent lockdown classification would allow for more economic activities allowed in a certain region.
Malacañang earlier cautioned the public and local government units (LGUs) against a possible surge in Covid-19 cases after the holiday season.
Galvez stressed this warning and urged Filipinos to not be complacent.
“Iyon po ang pinapaalala po namin na even though iyong iba naka-MGCQ, we are calling the attention of the LGUs through our (Interior) Secretary (Eduardo) Año na sana medyo higpitan natin kaunti iyong ating mga restrictions sa mga unnecessary, non-essential movements,” he said.
The country has 28,789 active Covid-19 cases as of Nov. 26. John Ezekiel J. Hirro