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| Gov. Velasco presides over a recent RDC-MIMAROPA tele-conference meeting on COVID-19 |
On April 28
Malacanang released the revised list of areas that will remain under enhanced
community quarantine (ECQ) from May 1 to 15, following a meeting of the
Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Areas on the list are
the National Capital Region, Central Luzon except Aurora, CALABARZON, Pangasinan,
Benguet, Baguio City, Iloilo province, Cebu province, Cebu City and Davao City.
The rest of the country was to be under a general community
quarantine (GCQ), provided that “minimum health standards are achieved and
continuously observed”, after which GCQ was to be lifted after May 15.
For GCQ areas, public transportation would resume at reduced
capacity, some workers would be allowed to work, and some establishments would
partially open subject to required minimum health standards.
Marinduque response, April 30
Based on the Malacanang announcement, Marinduque Governor
Presbitero J. Velasco, convened the provincial Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) that
was attended by all municipal mayors, provincial board members, department
heads, representatives of national government agencies and partner
organizations.
On the recommendation of the IATF which Gov. Velasco
approved it was decided that it would be in the best
interest of the island-province composed of only six municipalities to extend
the enhanced community quarantine up to May 15.
Velasco issued Executive Order No. 27-2020 on the Extension
of the Enhanced Community Quarantine in the Entire Province of Marinduque
citing among others that there were 9,000 persons listed under monitoring (PUMs) in the
province who have yet to undergo rapid antibody test as recommended by the
health authorities.
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| Executive Order No. 27-2020 |
It was also observed that upon learning the Malacanang and
MIMAROPA announcements that Marinduque will be placed under GCQ, “immediately
there is a proliferation of residents roaming outside their homes, while there
is innumerable number of motor vehicles including tricycles, motorcycles and
private vehicles seen on the streets ignoring the still prevailing ECQ”.
The general consensus is that the province is not yet
cleared of COVID-19 that necessitates the continuation of the ECQ until May 15.
Gov. Velasco immediately sought the concurrence of the
MIMAROPA Regional Inter-Agency Task Force on the continued implementation of
the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Marinduque.
Regional Director MGen Ruben Carandang of OCD MIMAROPA and
Chairperson of RDRRMC MIMAROPA informed the Governor on April 30 of his
concurrence with due observance of the safety precautions required on the
imposition of ECQ in the province.
In a separate report DILG Undersecretary and Spokesperson
Jonathan Malaya in a text message to media on May 3, stated, “Only those in the
high-risk areas based on the latest data from DOH (Department of Health) were
allowed to remain under ECQ".
Regional task forces may extend the ECQ in smaller areas,
however. Marinduque has only 6 municipalities and among the smallest provinces in the country.
"This does not prevent the LGU (local government unit)
to declare a part – a town or barangay – under ECQ so long as it's with the
concurrence of the regional IATF (inter-agency task force)," he said.
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| Marinduque has a total of 6 confirmed COVID-19 cases |
Last week, the IATF included Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Davao
del Norte and Davao de Oro in the list of ECQ areas subject to reassessment by
the body.
Among the localities that also requested extension were La
Union, Mountain Province, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and Marawi City. A
report on CNN Philippines said Isabela including Santiago City, Butuan, and
Camarines Sur also requested ECQ extensions.
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| Earlier report (April 15), posted by Philippine Information Agency (PIA) on the status of COVID-19 in Marinduque |
