MARAWI CITY – Lanao del Sur province on Sunday begun implementing
general community quarantine, two days later after the national government
released the list of areas under the GCQ.
Muslim leaders in the province earlier questioned the extended imposition
of the strict enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Lanao del Sur which should
have ended on April 30 based on the government list released by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases
(IATF-EID).
Lanao del Sur was supposed to be under GCQ on May 1 since it is not
included in the list of areas under the prolonged ECQ.
But Dr. Alinader Minalang, head of the Integrated Provincial Health Office and Vice Chairman of
the Provincial Inter-agency Task Force on Covid-19, said he recommended the
extension of the ECQ.
He explained that his recommendation
was based on the current trend (pandemic curve) of Covid-19 infection in the
country and the risks of widespread viral infection if borders opened because
many carriers of the deadly disease do not manifest the symptoms or asymptomatic.
“May posibilidad na magkaroon tayo ng
second wave or positive cases katulad ng nangyari sa Japan. Ang pangalawang
pamantayan ay ang kapasidad ng ating health care System at kung magkakaroon tayo ng
maraming kaso ng PUIs or positive cases maaring hindi makakaya ng ating
kasalukuyang pasilidad. Ang ating Amai Pakpak Medical Center ay mayroong lamang
18 isolation rooms at pito lamang ang ventilators na available at kung
magkakaroon ng surge of Covid-19 patients ay maaring hindi makayanan ng ating
kasalukuyang facilities,” he said.
Minalang said the medical facilities
also lacked doctors, nurses and other health professionals. He said the province
has no capability to conduct mass testing that is why he recommended the
continuation of ECQ and limit the movement of people.
Lanao del Sur has zero positive Covid-19 case as of May
2.
Among
those who questioned the prolonged ECQ in the province were prominent Muslim
leaders Mitocur Mustapah Macabando, former director of the
National Commission on Muslim Filipinos; Abdul Hanna Tago, lawyer Bayan Balt, former
president of the provincial chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Alan
Balangi-Amer, national president of One Bangsamoro Movement, and Alim Abbas
Suamay, of the UMMA Party.
The group, also joined by various stakeholders, sent a letter on April 2
to President Rodrigo Duterte protesting the extended ECQ.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said the areas under ECQ are the
following - Metro Manila, Central Luzon (except Aurora
province), Calabarzon, Pangasinan, Benguet, Baguio City, Iloilo province, Cebu
province and Davao City.
He
said all provinces and cities not on the list will be under GCQ because these
areas are considered “low risk or moderate risk” based on the recommendation of
the Department of Health and the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Lanao del Sur is one of 5 provinces under the Bangsamoro
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). And the BARMM Inter-Agency Task Force on Covid-19 also said it will
implement GCQ starting May 1 in accordance with the guidelines of the IATF-EID.
BARMM Cabinet Secretary and Bangsamoro IATF apokesperson
Mohamad Asnin Pendatun said the whole region is currently classified under
moderate-risk in terms of Covid-19 transmission. With this, Pendatun said BARMM
shall also adopt the “new normal” under GCQ and this include the mandatory
wearing of face masks, restrictions for loitering and presentation of valid
identification cards in quarantine control points for age verification.
He said under the guidelines of the GCQ, young (0-20
years old), senior citizens (60 and up), and high health risk individuals
should stay at home; non-workers are allowed to go out to buy goods and
services except those pertaining to Sector Category IV (leisure and kids);
public transport modes will resume to operate at reduced capacity; LGUs will
enforce curfew at night for non-workers; and priority and essential
construction projects will be allowed to resume operation.
“Should the number of infections continue to decline,
our GCQ may not be necessarily lifted, but, relaxed by May 16, 2020,” Pendatun
said. However, Pendatun stated that GCQ in Bangsamoro region may be temporary or
may still fall under ECQ if Covid-19 cases start to spike.
“Hindi rin po ibig sabihin na dahil GCQ tayo, wala nang
possibility na tayo ay maging ECQ, kasi kapag nakita na dumami o dumoble ang
Covid-19 cases sa ating region or other parts of the region, there’s a
possibility na mapasok tayo sa ECQ,” Pendatun stressed. (By Asa Madale. With additional report from the Mindanao Examiner.)
Like Us on Facebook: The Zamboanga Post
Follow Us on Twitter: Mindanao Examine
Mirror Site: Mindanao Examiner Blog
Digital Archives: Mindanao Examiner Digital
Media Rates: Advertising Rates
No comments:
Post a Comment