Iloilo City, province take different tacks on MECQ

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Both the city and province of Iloilo are under the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) starting today, June 16, 2021, as announced by President Rodrigo Duterte Monday evening.

The new classification is due to rising cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the two areas.

The national Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) also issued its Resolution No. 121 series of 2021 on Tuesday, which formalized Duterte’s pronouncement.

This extends Iloilo City’s existing MECQ status, while Iloilo province will depart from the Modified General CQ (MGCQ) for the first time in just over a year.

The province moved to the most permissive quarantine regime on June 1, 2020.

The MECQ is the second strictest status next to Enhanced CQ.

Iloilo City and province are the only MECQ areas in Western Visayas region. They join Negros Oriental in the entire Visayas to be placed under MECQ.

Roxas City in Capiz is also under MECQ until June 30, although its status was imposed by the regional task force being a component city.

The MECQ was imposed despite the desire of the Iloilo City Government to de-escalate to the more permissive General CQ (GCQ).

The Iloilo Provincial Government did not request an escalation of its quarantine status but it was included nonetheless.

But the two local governments on Tuesday expressed their adherence to the national mandates.

Iloilo City COVID Team spokesperson Jeck Conlu told Bombo Radyo Iloilo on Tuesday that they will no longer appeal the national order.

Conlu said they will instead adjust MECQ guidelines with the IATF-MEID Omnibus Guidelines and Memorandum Order No. 21-15 of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Mayor Jerry Treñas on Monday already committed to loosening restrictions, particularly on businesses, regardless of the city’s quarantine status.

“We will no longer appeal on our quarantine status. We will operate under MECQ, but we will loosen up a bit our measures here. It means that under the Omnibus Guidelines under MECQ, all non-essential establishments will be allowed to operate except spas, massage clinics, and gyms will not be allowed to operate,” Conlu said.

Iloilo Provincial Administrator Atty. Suzette Mamon told Aksyon Radyo Iloilo on Tuesday that they will be following the president’s pronouncement, but they will continue with existing restrictions.

Last May, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. issued a series of Executive Orders that banned the sale and consumption of alcohol in the province, suspended operations of tourism and recreational establishments, and implementation of restrictions against non-essential travel.

“If that will be the order coming from the President and the [IATF-MEID], then we really have to comply with the said order. In the level of the province, our towns have been implementing quarantine measures according to their situation, but then again, we have complied with border controls which is solely a characteristic of an MECQ,” Mamon said.

League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Iloilo (LMP-Iloilo) President Mayor Trixie Fernandez of San Enrique town also told Aksyon Radyo Iloilo that they will just follow the governor’s lead in implementing and enforcing MECQ rules in their areas.

“We will just wait for the governor. Normally, we also follow his directive as far as our classification is concerned. As much as the president has already announced, usually the governor’s Executive Order will follow, especially now that we will start for another 15 days. We will be waiting for the say of our governor on what restrictions we should be following here in the province,” Fernandez said.

 

ILOILO CITY RESTRICTIONS

Treñas issued Executive Order No. 53 series of 2021 on Tuesday outlining “relaxed” restrictions under MECQ.

Under the new EO, border restrictions will be lifted, and quarantine passes will no longer be required. But the 10 pm to 4 am curfew and restrictions on vulnerable sectors such as senior citizens and persons with comorbidities remain in effect.

Essential establishments under previous MECQ EOs are still allowed to operate at full capacity, while media organizations can operate at 50 percent capacity.

Most non-essential establishments will also be allowed to re-open at 30 percent capacity, subject to the national IATF-MEID Omnibus Guidelines and DTI Memorandum No. 21-15.

All areas of the Iloilo Esplanade and all plazas and parks will once again be reopened for public use.

Prohibited establishments include indoor and outdoor sports venues, Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibition (MICE) venues, tourist attractions, dermatological and massage clinics, recreational and entertainment venues, gyms, and spas.

The limited sale of liquor will be allowed once again from 8 am to 6 pm, but public consumption is still prohibited indefinitely.

Restaurants can cater to dine-in but at 30 percent capacity for indoor setting and 30 percent for al fresco or outdoor setting.

Strict 14-day quarantine will be observed for close contacts of positive cases but they will not be required to undergo RT-PCR swabbing.

Mass gatherings in both public and private settings are still prohibited, but religious gatherings are now allowed up to 30 percent capacity from the previous 10 percent even as virtual masses are still highly encouraged.

Work in the city government and other regional and national government offices will remain at 30 percent capacity, and arrangements such as skeletal workforce and other flexible work arrangements are still highly encouraged.

Wakes can only be held up to 3 days, and necrological and funeral services are only limited to immediate household or family members.

COVID-19 vaccination roll-out and administration will also remain unhampered as stated in the EO.

Meanwhile, Gov. Defensor has yet to issue an EO for Iloilo province’s MECQ protocols as of this writing.