Mayor Isko: Recto night market to remain open amid ECQ

The night market along Recto in Manila will remain open amid the enforcement of enhanced community quarantine in the National Capital Region starting August 6, Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno announced Thursday.

The strictest quarantine protocol will be in place until August 20 due to the threat of the more infectious Delta variant.

“Ito tulong na natin sa mga magsasaka, maggugulay, magbubulaklak, at saka magkakarne, mag-iitlog, mag-iisda. Bukas ang Recto sa gabi,” Moreno said in a live briefing.

(This will be our way of helping the farmers and vendors. Recto will remain open at night.)

“‘Yung pagkain tuloy sa Maynila. May pera nga tao, wala namang mabibilhan. Tsaka mamamatay ‘yung mga magsasaka sa probinsya, maggugulay sa probinsya,” he added.

(Food will continue to flow in Manila. People have money, but what good is this if the vendors are not around. Farmers will also have a hard time in the province.)

Moreno assured that the general population in Recto has been vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“Kaya ‘yung buong Recto sa gabi, the general population there is vaccinated. Kung maalala niyo, sinuyod ko ‘yun ng ilang gabi ng kakabakuna kasi gusto ko tuloy-tuloy ‘yung pagkain,” he said.

(The general population in Recto is already vaccinated. If you remember, I went there numerous times to monitor the vaccination because I wanted the flow of food supply to remain undisturbed.)

The mayor said keeping the night market open will also be the city’s aid to NCR.

“Dahil ‘yung gulay doon, ‘yung mga karne doon, ‘yun ang dadalhin sa mga palengke natin at palengke ng Metro Manila. Kaya pag sinara natin ‘yung Recto, tatamaan ‘yung buong Metro Manila. Tulong na natin ‘yun sa buong Metro Manila,“ he said.

(The vegetables and meat there will be brought to the markets in Metro Manila. If we close Recto, all of Metro Manila will be affected. So this is our help to the region.)

Read: Who may leave their homes during NCR's two-week ECQ

The Philippines has logged a total of 1,627,816 confirmed cases, of which 66,895 are active, 1,532,494 have recovered, and 28,427 have died.—LDF, GMA News