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Robredo: Amid high transmission rate, what is basis for placing entire country under MGCQ?


Vice President Leni Robredo questioned the proposal to place the entire country under the least stringent quarantine level, modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), considering the uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases.

In her radio program on Sunday, Robredo pointed out that both the economy and public health should be considered in making decisions for the quarantine classification.

“Ang tanong ko lang: ano iyong basis, ‘di ba? Ano iyong basis ng MGCQ?” she said.

“Wala namang problema mag-MGCQ kung may basehan tayo roon. Pero kapag tiningnan kasi natin iyong numero, ang taas ng transmission. Wala pa iyong bakuna,” she said.

For Robredo, even if the government eased the quarantine classification and the COVID-19 cases are still on the increasing trend, people would not have the confidence to go out and engage in economic activities.

Due to this, Robredo suggested to redirect efforts on reducing the transmission of the disease a way to revive the economy instead of easing the restriction.

“Kahit anong promote natin ng ating tourist spots, mga negosyo, kung mataas iyong transmission, aakyat lang iyan nang kaunti pero hindi natin ma-a-attain iyong desired level,” she said.

“Pero kung nandito na iyong bakuna, bumaba na iyong transmission, mas normal na iyong pakiramdam ng mga tao,” she added.

On Friday, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte may approve the recommendation to place the entire country under MGCQ by March 1.

“Nagkasundo na rin po ang mga alkalde at ang IATF na mag-MGCQ by March 1 kaya baka sumang-ayon na rin ang ating Presidente,” Roque said.

The plan was one of the recommendations made by the National Economic and Development Authority.

OCTA Research on Sunday reported a rise in the National Capital Region's reproduction number to 1.22 from 1.0 two weeks earlier. The reproduction number is the expected number of new infections an infected individual may cause in a population where everyone is susceptible. A reproduction number of one or higher is an indication of the continuous transmission of the virus. — BM, GMA News

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