Mayor asks IATF to reconsider MECQ status in Lapu-Lapu City

Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu Mayor Junard "Ahong" Chan asked the national government's pandemic task force to reconsider the decision to place the locality under a strict modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

In a letter addressed to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Wednesday, Chan appealed to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases that there should be a "uniform community quarantine classification in Cebu," citing that it would have an impact on their economic activities.

"The economic activities of the 3 cities and the province are highly interconnected and interdependent with each other," he said.

"Having different community quarantine classifications of neighboring LGUs may cause confusion and misinformation on the protocols and allowable activities per local government unit," the mayor also pointed out.

Lapu Lapu City and Mandaue City were placed under MECQ starting August 1 to August 15 but Cebu City and Cebu Province, will be under general community quarantine during the same period. 

Chan also lamented that the city does not have anymore funds to support its constituents during MECQ, which will require closure of businesses and will further impact livelihood and income.

Instead of enforcing a stricter form of lockdown, Chan vowed that the city government will suppress cases through increased isolation capacity, aggressive testing, aggressive vaccination program, and suspension of non-essential gatherings, among others.

"The city government is earnestly appealing to the IATF not to put the city in Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine. I hope the IATF will trust the city that we can alleviate the surge of cases even if we are not under MECQ," he said.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, Chan alerted his residents about the recent announcement of IATF to retain the MECQ status over Lapu Lapu City.

"We are saddened by a report we have just received that the IATF has recommended placing our city under MECQ or Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine due to the rising case of COVID-19. This means there will be changes that will be implemented for stricter health protocols," he said in Cebuano.

Lapu Lapu City currently has 1,021 active cases of the coronavirus disease, of which, 70% are asymptomatic, according to the mayor.

The IATF earlier said quarantine classifications may still be changed following appeals from local government units.—LDF, GMA News