Several senators favor extending community quarantine after April 30

After President Rodrigo Duterte said that he would lift the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine once the "antibody medicine" developed by a major  pharmaceutical company becomes available in the market, several senators on Tuesday weighed in on the possibility of further extending the ECQ beyond April 30.

"I would rather play the conservative card and side with a continuing lockdown if no clear evidence of a solution to the virus is in sight," Senate President Vicente Sotto III said in a message to reporters.

Meanwhile, Senator Imee Marcos, who chairs the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, suggested a modified community quarantine after April 30.

"I suspect only a partial easing may be allowed at the end of the month, doctors warning of a second wave of infection has occurred in some countries, sometimes more virulent than first infections," Marcos said in her message.

"Hence, we should expect only critical businesses will be allowed to fully open—medical production, importation, and distribution, food chain sectors, essential transport, communication, general services, and maintenance," she added.

Moreover, Marcos suggested that local government leaders of northern Luzon and other island provinces that were free from COVID-19 should be given more discretion in their implementation of the enhanced community quarantine.

"While the exponential increase of infection in NCR may require close government regulation, the less-afflicted provinces should be allowed a measure of self-determination, so that they may even provide NCR's food, personnel, and other requirements," Marcos said.

On Tuesday, Duterte claimed that a major pharmaceutical company was ready to roll out an "antibody medicine" for COVID-19.

"Mayroon nang medisina, antibody, ang isang giant pharmaceutical pero hindi galing sa tao. Sabi by May, they would start to market it," Duterte said.

However, he said the Philippines was "on the last ladder."

"Ang problema sabi nga, we are on the last ladder. Ang mauna niyan 'yung mga mayayaman," Duterte said.

"Kung meron na 'yan tapos makita ko na ginagamit na ng tao, ili-lift ko [ang quarantine]. Tutal kung magkasakit kayo may antibodies naman tayo mabili," he added.

An enhanced community quarantine is in effect over the Luzon region and other affected areas until April 30. — DVM, GMA News