Caloocan mayor open to extension of ECQ in NCR

Caloocan Mayor Oscar Malapitan on Wednesday said the city government will cooperate if ever the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region is extended.

At the Laging Handa public briefing, Malapitan noted that there are more days to monitor the trend of the number of COVID-19 cases in the region.

“Well, kung 'yun ang kinakailangan, kailangan ay makiisa tayo. Sundin natin…Kinakailangan nakasuporta ang lungsod sa Caloocan sa guidelines na ilalabas,” he added.

(Well, if that's what is needed, we have to cooperate. We should follow. Caloocan City should support the guidelines that will be issued.)

Metro Manila was placed last August 6th under ECQ that will last up to the 20th in light of the threat of the more transmissible Delta coronavirus variant in the country.

Malapitan said the number of COVID-19 cases in the city is rising “more than double.” He said the city government now has been recording 70 to 100 new cases daily from only 30 last month.

However, the mayor said their hospitals are not yet full as their bed capacity is occupied at 50 percent.

On Tuesday, the Department of Health said the ECQ currently in effect in the NCR may be extended due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases.

According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, the matter will still be discussed by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

“Nandiyan lagi 'yung posibilidad because based on our projections, kahit magkaroon tayo ng dalawang linggong ECQ, patuloy pong tataas ang mga kaso natin,” she said in an interview on GMA News’ Unang Balita.

(There is always that possibility because based on our projections, even if we have two weeks of ECQ, the number of COVID-19 cases will continue to rise.) —LBG, GMA News