Imee Marcos: Impose MECQ, not ECQ, in NCR Plus

Senator Imee Marcos said on Monday that it would be better if the national government imposed a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in the NCR Plus area instead of the stricter enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

In a virtual interview with reporters, Marcos said she did not agree with the reimposition of an ECQ in Metro Manila and the surrounding provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna because it had never worked before.

"Isang taon na tayong ganito, ECQ, open-close, close-open. Bumaba ba yung infection? Hindi," she said.

(We have done this for a year, ECQ, open-close, close-open. Are there fewer cases? No.)

"Para sa akin, mag-MECQ na tayo, please lang. Kasi yun lang ang abot-kaya ng ating palpak na healthcare system at ng ating kakarampot na budget," she added.

(If you ask me, let's just impose an MECQ, please. Because that is the only thing our failed healthcare system can manage and the only thing our measly budget can afford.)

According to Marcos, the government should only impose an ECQ if it can support healthcare workers and provide social protection for those who will be affected by the stricter protocols.

"[Kapag] ECQ, kailangan pangatawanan mo. Ibig sabihin, testing, tracing at bakuna. Pangalagaan yung ating mga healthcare workers. Panindigan ang kalusugan, number one yun," she said.

(If you impose an ECQ, you should be able to support it. There should be testing, tracing, and vaccines. We should be able to take care of our health workers. Take care of their health, that's number one.)

"Tapos, pangatawanan natin, number two, social protection. Ano yun? Ayuda, pagkain, food truck at kung anu-ano pa para yung tao, hindi naghihikahos at hindi ikot nang ikot, naghahanap ng hanapbuhay," she added.

(Aside from that, number two, we should be able to provide social protection. What's that? Assistance, food, food trucks, and other kinds of support so  people won't  go hungry and leave their homes looking for a way to make a living.)

Without these two things in place, Marcos said the government should not force an ECQ.

"Para sa akin, MECQ [dapat] at ibigay ang diskarte at discretion sa ating LGU heads na sila na ang gumawa ng highly-targeted, time-bound, very focused na localized lockdowns," she said.

(For me, it should be an MECQ and let's give LGU heads the discretion to implement a highly-targeted, time-bound, and very focused localized lockdown.)

"Yun lang ang abot-kaya natin at hindi naman natin napapangalagaan ang ating healthcare workers," she added.

(That's the best that we can do given that we don't have the ability to take care of our healthcare workers.)

The ECQ imposed on the NCR Plus area was supposed to be lifted on Sunday, April 4. But due to the continuous rise in COVID-19 cases, the quarantine restriction was extended for at least one week beginning Monday, April 5.

The Philippines on Sunday logged 11,028 new COVID-19 cases with 41,205 recoveries, bringing the total number of active cases to 135,526. — DVM, GMA News