Iloilo to remain under MGCQ as cases rise

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. on Sunday confirmed that the province will remain under the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) and defended his stance that he did not see the need to elevate its status despite the continued rise in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases.

Based on daily case bulletins released by the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO), 637 new cases were recorded from May 23 to 29, 2021.

For the month of May, the province has recorded a total of 1,494 cases, which is currently its record peak, with an average of 52 cases per day, according to the IPHO data.

The running total of new cases this month includes 19.63 percent of the total number of COVID-19 cases in the province at 7,610, including 1,256 active cases, 6,165 recoveries, and 189 deaths.

The latest death was logged on May 27, a 62-year-old female from Pavia.

In a phone interview, Defensor told Daily Guardian that he had been advised by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) over the weekend that Iloilo province would remain under MGCQ.

The province has been under MGCQ since June 1, 2020, and the governor has already issued several Executive Orders (EOs) implementing the said CQ regime, the latest being EO No. 155 series of 2021, which he issued on May 12.

But Defensor stopped short of saying that the recommendation was final, adding that the national Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) would still meet today, May 31, to determine the final CQ status of the province.

He added that current restrictions such as the liquor ban via EO No. 174 and the temporary suspension on tourism activities via EO No. 163, which are set to expire today, would also depend on the CQ status.

He said future moves will also depend on the result of his meeting with the DILG and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas today, calling any pronouncements as of this writing as “premature”.

“We have been advised by the DILG, but an advice like that three days before is not usually final. So [today], the [IATF-MEID] will meet and will resolve on the classification of all local governments. Although we are under MGCQ, chances are it will not change, but I will just have to wait for the resolution before I extend my executive orders,” Defensor said.

The governor also said that the temporary suspension of travel between the Port of Dumangas and Negros Island, which is set to be lifted tomorrow, will also depend on the CQ status and COVID-19 situation in the province.

He may also coordinate today with Treñas and Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on their further moves regarding Iloilo-Negros travel.

The regional IATF-MEID and the Regional Task Force against COVID-19 (RTF COVID-19) on Sunday issued a Joint Advisory announcing the lifting of the temporary suspension of travel starting at 12:01 a.m. on June 1.

“We will also finalize this [today], if we will request for extension, but we continue to talk with Iloilo City and the DILG on this. I may also call [Governor Lacson] today,” he said.

He also reiterated his stance on the CQ status of the province, saying he “saw no need” to raise restrictions on the province amid the growing number of cases, citing his recent issuances.

But he said that he may issue newer measures in response to the situation, particularly the request of Treñas to extend the Modified Enhanced CQ (MECQ) in Iloilo City.

“Right now, I don’t see that. We’ve made adjustments on health protocols this past month, so much so that whether or not we call it MECQ or whatever, what is important is that we implement the needed health protocols. But we may continue to make adjustments which we can do so we can help circulation of people in the province, depending on the trend in the next 48 hours,” Defensor said.