Mayor says no total lockdown under MECQ

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Mayor Evelio Leonardia clarified that there is no total lockdown here amid the imposition of the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) until Sept 30, 2020.

“What we have under MECQ is a slowdown, not a lockdown,” Leonardia said in a press statement issued Sunday evening.

“And this MECQ was imposed on us by the National IATF (NIATF) when it saw how steeply the infection curve in the City had spiked in the first few days of September alone. The City is bound to implement that order of the NIATF to include the suspension of public transport because that is one of the things that happens under an MECQ,” Leonardia added.

BIZ, OFFICES STILL ALLOWED TO OPERATE

Leonardia said it is clear in the guidelines of the NIATF that many businesses and offices are still allowed to open under MECQ but on a reduced operating capacity.

For example, dining establishments/restaurants can only do take-out and delivery but no dine-in, and to operate with only half of their work force.

But if some businesses will decide to close for the duration of this MECQ, that is their option, too, he added.

The list of businesses and offices allowed to open under MECQ can be looked up in the internet under: (a) IATF Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines with Amendments as of July 16, 2020; and (b) Memorandum Circular No. 20-44 of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

 

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

“I know that the suspension of public transport is the main bone of contention during this MECQ. Many businesses will have a hard time making sales when public transportation is suspended as several of their employees and customers travel to them via public transport,” Leonardia said.

“Maybe from their point of view, that is tantamount to a total lockdown. I understand that and I sympathize with them, too. However, under the guidelines of the NIATF, suspension of public transport is a must-do under an MECQ.  This is a feature of MECQ we cannot escape from.  This is the main difference between MECQ and the previous GCQ (General Community Quarantine) where we were before September 7.  The LGUs are mere implementors of the measures imposed by the NIATF for each kind of community quarantine.

He also emphasized that private cars are still allowed under MECQ as well as commissioned shuttle services for employees of offices and businesses permitted to operate under MECQ.

“Point-to-point (P2P) transport services shall also be allowed, and the use of bikes and other non-motorized transportation is encouraged,” the mayor added.

 

BALANCING ACT (LIVES OR LIVELIHOOD?)

“Businessmen, many of them even my personal friends, have asked me to appeal to the NIATF for exemption from the ban on public transport during this MECQ.  They say that it does not make sense to allow businesses and offices to remain open while suspending public transportation.  They also say that while it is important to observe health protocols to contain the spread of COVID-19, it cannot be to the point of hurting businesses,” Leonardia said.

“On the issue of public transport, the mayor said he already explained that businessmen are allowed to provide transport for their employees if they are bent on opening their offices or stores during MECQ.

“On the issue of observing health protocols, they are right. We have to observe health protocols. The suspension of public transport is one such protocol under MECQ, and one that is taken only when the infection level and case growth rate have become alarming in any area, like what we have now in the City.”

Leonardia further explains: “From a single-digit record for the whole month of March, our positive cases have now risen to triple-digits per day. Please consider the following statistics from our City Health Office.

Based on information from the City Government, positive cases recorded so far were:

Whole month of March 2020 – Only 6

Whole month of April 2020 – Only 16

Whole month of May 2020 – Only 5

Whole month of June 2020 – 37 positive cases (or an average of 1 case per day)

Whole month of July 2020 – 234 positive cases (or an average of 8 cases per day)

Whole month of August 2020 – 1,050 positive cases (or an average of 34 cases per day)

Sept 1 to 12, 2020 (first 12 days of Sept) – 1,232 positive cases (or an average of 103 cases per day, and that is only for the first 12 days of September)

“The exponential increase from 34 cases per day in August to the 103 cases per day for the first 12 days of September alone is already VERY ALARMING.  That means our positive cases have more than doubled in less than 2 months! All in all, from March until September 12, we have already recorded 2,580 cases,” Leonardia said.

The statistics can only mean that there are many asymptomatics (referring to those who are already positive of the virus but are not experiencing its symptoms) roaming around the city, infecting other people, and without the virus carrier even knowing he or she has it.

“If we allow public transport during this MECQ, the virus will surely spread faster to more people as there will be many potential hosts around the asymptomatic virus carrier. Asymptomatic people in public transport can infect their fellow passengers and all of them will bring it into stores and offices and wherever they will go, and most especially, into their homes,” Leonardia said.

“That is why we need this short-term MECQ to allow the Virus Containment Team of the City, now under the guidance of retired Major General Mel Feliciano and his nurse-wife, Mia, to hunt down the carriers of the virus and isolate them as quickly as possible before it can spread to more people.”

The mayor said the people and economy of Cebu City survived the longest ECQ/MECQ in the country, “let us be inspired by their hard example.”

“If we operate public transport like life is still normal, our containment efforts will fail and we will soon have more COVID cases in the City. Many families and businesses will be adversely affected.  So, while we can still contain the spread, with the resources and manpower that we have in government, let us do it now.  Postponing ‘biting the bullet’ will only worsen the situation and could even prolong the MECQ, or even place us under ECQ, which is the most restrictive community quarantine category there is, if our daily case rate does not abate or flatten.”

Leonardia said that once the daily case rate is reduced back to low double digits, “then we can probably relax back into GCQ if permitted by the NIATF, and reopen public transport in the City.”

“That is the measurable goal we are striving for in this MECQ – to reduce our daily case rate from 3-digits to low double digits, at least.  We cannot achieve this with so many people moving around and potentially spreading the virus further,” the mayor added. (With a report from PIO)