Guv mulls continued MECQ in Iloilo amid rising COVID cases

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. said Thursday that Iloilo province will stick to the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) after September 7, 2021 amid the continued surge of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) data as of Sept. 1, 2021 indicated that the province has logged 7,219 new COVID-19 cases in August alone, an average of 233 new cases daily. It also listed a record-high 618 new COVID deaths on Wednesday.

In his regular press conference, Defensor said that they would continue with the current MECQ status, nor will they change any of the current restrictions.

This, after Interior Secretary Eduardo Año expressed that the next round of CQ statuses should be left to the local government units (LGUs).

Defensor referred to Executive Order No. 320, which allowed mayors of the 43 LGUs to implement stricter barangay-based lockdowns. He also cited previous economic impact of the “tighter” ECQ.

“I don’t think we will change anything. We are under MECQ, and with [General CQ, MGCQ, and ECQ,] the only difference there is which establishments are open, and if social gatherings are open and to what extent. Our mayors now have discretion to tighten what needs to be tightened, because what may be tightened for one town, may not work for the other,” Defensor said.

Defensor said that the province is also “faithfully following” its Safety Seal certification in thumping down on social gatherings which are the leading cause of the spread of COVID-19.

The governor earlier called off a turnover program Thursday where Ilonggo Olympic boxer Irish Magno received a P300,000 incentive from the provincial government.

“Earlier, I had to cut the program of our incentive to our athlete, Irish Magno, because the original intention was to have photo-ops then we turnover the check. But we have a stage and a microphone, and the people gathered, so I had to cut it off. Because of our safety seal, we are heavily considering our health protocols here, the safety of our workplace,” Defensor explained.

He also called on the public to refrain from any kind of social gathering or crowding, unless for work, public transport, public market, and religious gathering purposes.

He added that he will be reinstating restrictions in cemeteries, memorial parks, and other similar venues in anticipation of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days between the last week of October and first week of November.