Replacing ECQ with 2-week granular lockdowns up for IATF final approval — DILG

The proposal to replace the wide enhanced community quarantine with granular two-week lockdown is now up for final approval of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases Resolutions (IATF), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Wednesday.

DILG spokesperson Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said different government agencies have agreed to impose the new measure.

“For final approval na ito ng IATF (This is already for approval of the IATF),” he said at the Laging Handa public briefing.

“But there is consensus among the different government agencies na instead na malawakang ECQ, ang gagamitin natin ay granular lockdown na lamang,” he added.

(But t there is consensus among the different government agencies that instead of a wide ECQ, the government will just impose granular lockdowns)

Malaya said that the national government gave assurance that it will augment support to local government units in giving food assistance to affected residents.

In the two-week granular lockdown, he said LGUs will provide the assistance for the first week while the national government and Department of Social Welfare and Development will shoulder it on the second week.

Last week, the DILG recommended that authorized persons outside residence (APORs) should not be allowed to go out during granular lockdowns to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

"Mas epektibo po itong pamamaraan kaysa i-lockdown ng kabuuan ang isang probinsiya o siyudad," DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing said.

(This is more effective [granular lockdown] instead of locking down an entire province or city.)

"Napapansin po natin sa ibang ECQ ngayon, kahit may lockdown, marami pa ring APOR na nakakalabas, so mayroong pa ring mobility kung saka-sakali, nakakapanghawa pa rin. Pero sa granular lockdown kasi, hindi mo papayagang lumabas ang mga tao doon sa area na 'yon," he added.

(We notice that during ECQ, there are still APORs allowed to go out, so there's still mobility and possibly, can spread infection. During granular lockdown, no one will be allowed to go out.) — RSJ, GMA News