A lawmaker opined that the authorities should wait for the COVID-19 vaccination program to rollout before deciding on further relaxing lockdown measures in the rest of the country, especially in Metro Manila.
Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri believes that it will be much safer if the vaccines have already arrived before lifting restrictions that could trigger a spike in infections.
“I think we need to do that first, let’s wait for the vaccines to come,” Zubiri said in an interview. “What we’re saying is the only way to bring back the economy is through the vaccination program. We really have to focus on that.”
“[When] we’ve already vaccinated how many million Filipinos, then maybe we can start with the MGCQ. But I think that’s the safer avenue to take,” he added.
Acting NEDA chief Karl Chua was the one who proposed the shift to MGCQ to President Rodrigo Duterte and other government officials, explaining that the pandemic-struck economy needs further reopening for the country to recover. Moreover, he noted that further extending the lockdown would only worsen hunger and poverty.
