Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Saturday that local government units should step up COVID-19 response measures in case the national government chooses to place the entire country under MGCQ.
In a press briefing, the health official said that with or without a shift to the most relaxed quarantine restriction, LGUs should already be capable of undertaking localized COVID-19 response.
“No matter what risk classification or community quarantine level na ibibigay sa atin, the LGUs should have the capability to do localized response,” said Vergeire.
A nation-wide shift to MGCQ— the most relaxed out of the 4 quarantine restrictions set by the government has been pushed by the country’s economic managers. The national government is eyeing to begin the shift next month.
After expressing hesitation on the effects it may have on COVID-19 transmission, the country’s pandemic task force and the mayors of Metro Manila, the epicenter of the virus, have agreed on relaxing quarantine restrictions.
Experts and some mayors earlier warned against relaxing quarantine restrictions because of the possibility of another upsurge in COVID-19 cases, saying it would be better to wait for the arrival of vaccines first.
“Ang atin pong safeguard ay ang ating local governments ay magkakaroon ng sari-sariling response where they have better surveillance gatekeeping indicators. Ito po ay isang bagay na kailangan po natin ipatupad kung sakaling darating na ang point na ‘yan and we are asking local governments to step up,” Vergeire added, saying that the public should observe minimum health standards.
