UP experts pushed for MECQ in Bacolod City

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

 

The UP-OCTA Research Team pushed to place Bacolod City under stricter modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) due to rising COVID-19 cases.

Dr. Ranjit Rye told Dobol B sa News TV that health facilities in the city are getting overwhelmed, with the daily number of recorded COVID-19 cases at more than 100.

“Nanawagan kami sa IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases), NTF (National Task Force), nakikita namin the last two weeks sa Bacolod City, kailangan i-revisit, i-recalibrate, tulungan natin sila, lalo na iyong mga health workers,” Rye said.

“Puno ang mga ospital nila, ang daily cases nila, more than 100. Kailangan i-MECQ ang Bacolod City. Hindi ho bumababa, lalong lumalala. Umabot pa po ng 160 cases [per day]. Wala hong humpay, kailangang i-reconfigure po,” he added.

The UP-OCTA team is an independent and interdisciplinary research group composed primarily of UP faculty members and alumni. The independent research team also includes contributors from the University of Santo Tomas and Providence College, USA.

The team has been following and studying the trend in the COVID-19 pandemic since it broke out in the Philippines in March 2020.

IATF is the government’s policy-making body in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic while NTF is the implementing body.

Under MECQ protocol, up to 50% of employees are allowed to physically report to work but public transport is prohibited.

Rye said the implementation of the MECQ will prevent a repeat of what happened in Cebu City which was reverted to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) — the strictest of all protocols as it bans mass transport and all non-essential work — after the number of COVID-19 cases there reached as much as 7,000.

“Kailangan po i-reconsider, para hindi po mangyari iyong katulad sa Cebu City,” Rye added.

On Monday night, the IATF recommended the reversal of Bacolod City to MECQ after adding 58 new cases. Bacolod also tops Western Visayas in terms of COVID-19 cases.

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia first sought the help of the national government in curbing the surge in COVID cases which took toll on hospitals and health workers.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu together Galvez, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino, and Retired Major General Mel Feliciano, the IATF deputy chief implementor in Cebu were sent to help the city in determining what actions should be done to control the spread of the virus. (With a report from GMA News)