Duterte to talk to health experts on whether ECQ will be extended or modified

President Rodrigo Duterte will meet with health experts this week to get their inputs on whether the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine will be extended after April 30, or modified, Senator Bong Go said on Sunday.

In a Dobol B sa News TV interview, Go said Duterte is set to talk with health experts on Monday.

"Bukas ay kakausapin niya 'yung mga health experts. Marami siyang inimbita, pati rin 'yung mga dating secretary of Health sa iba't ibang administrasyon. Makapagbigay sila ng payo o mag-contribute man lang sila dahil binabalanse ng Pangulo ang lahat," he said.

"Sa pagkakaalam ko mas dapat higpitan sa mga susunod na 11 araw hanggang April 30. And I think, ang Pangulo ay magde-decide ngayong linggong ito kung ie-extend pa [ang ECQ] o luluwangan," he added.

The Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine, which was supposed to end on April 13, was recently extended until April 30.

According to Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles on April 12, an extension was necessary in order for the government to determine the impact of the ECQ and further increase health capacity in Luzon and other areas.

Go said the government wants to ensure that no lives will be lost due to COVID-19, that people will have food to eat, that the economy will not suffer, and that medicine will be available to the public.

"Desperado talaga ang Pilipino sa ngayon, sobrang desperado. Naghihintay tayo ng vaccine e matagal pa, sabi nila sa susunod na taon. Kaya may mga antibodies, 'yung nababanggit ni Pangulong Duterte, na hinahantay natin para panlaban," he said.

"Sana ay lumabas na dahil ito na lang ang hinahantay natin. Ang Pilipino naman, matatapang tayo, kaya lang kapag wala tayong gamot, mahirap nang magkahawaan," he added.

Go said that while there are now more recoveries from COVID-19 than deaths, what is more important now is that no more people will die from the disease.

"'Yun ang pinakaimportante sa ngayon, gumaling 'yung pasyente at bumaba, mag-flat na 'yung curve, magpa-plateau na dapat," he said.

As of Saturday, there are a total of 6,087 cases of COVID-19 reported in the Philippines, with 397 deaths and 516 recoveries. —Erwin Colcol/KG, GMA News