NCR Plus placed under ECQ
• 11-hour curfew from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. • No public masses during Holy Week By Joyce Pañares, Vito Barcelo, Willie Casas, and Maricel Cruz
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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has placed Metro Manila, Bulacan, Laguna, Rizal and Cavite under a weeklong Enhanced Community Quarantine -- the highest lockdown level -- starting Monday (March 29) until April 4 as the country continued to log more than 9,000 new COVID-19 cases.
“We are all homeliners again. We will return to ECQ because the number of people contracting COVID is too high -- almost 10,000 a day. Our critical care utilization is now under a red warning,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said. “This will be a one week timeout for our medical frontliners,” he said. The on Saturday logged 9,595 new infections, bringing the total number of cases to 712,442, the Department of Health said. This marked the second consecutive day when more than 9,000 new cases were reported. Health Undersecretary Leopold Vega said the bed capacity of big hospitals in Metro Manila for COVID-19 patients has already reached “high risk” level. Under ECQ, the following restrictions will be put in place: - 11-hour curfew from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. - Public transportation will be allowed but at a limited capacity based on guidelines to be issued by the Department of Transportation - Mass gatherings, including religious gatherings, are strictly prohibited. “Full stop (on public masses),” Roque said. This means the previous IATF resolution allowin a once-a-day mass with 10 percent capacity for the Holy Week will no longer push through. - Movements will be limited to Authorized Persons Outside Residence, those accessing essential goods and services, and workers in establishments allowed to operate. People aged below 18 and above 65, people with comorbidities, and pregnant women will not be allowed to go out, unless they need to either obtain essential goods and services or work in office. - Dining establishments for take-out and delivery only. - Essential priority construction projects shall be allowed subject to the guidelines to be issued by the Department of Public Works and Highways. - Private establishments offering essential goods and services, as well as media establishments, can operate at 50 percent capacity. - Other establishments that can adopt a skeleton workforce include dental clinics, optometry clinics, pharmacies, veterinary clinics, banks, money transfer services, telecommunications companies, manufacturing firms, funeral and embalming services, and security personnel. Roque said there will be a heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce community quarantine protocols. Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said staycations will also now be disallowed in areas under ECQ. “Do not panic. Do not lose hope. This is not the first time we are under ECQ. We assure you the government is ready and will help you,” Roque said.
VOL. XXXV • NO. 46 • 2 SECTIONS 8 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, MARCH 28, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Vendors outside the Antipolo Cathedral sell woven palm leaves (palaspas) in Antipolo City Saturday morning, hours before Malacañang announced a return to the strictest lockdown level -- Enhanced Community Quarantine -- for a week beginning Monday (March 29). The announcement prodded some residents within the NCR Plus to rush to nearby supermarkets to stock up on food and other essential items. People line up outside a supermarket along España in Manila while residents of Gen. Trias in Cavite beat the mall’s closing time for last-minute grocery shopping. Ryan Benaid for PonD News Asia, LFS Twitter account, and Jackielyn Langcay
Palace: Affected workers in ECQ areas to receive ‘ayuda’ RESIDENTS of the NCR Plus area will receive financial aid from the government as the Enhanced Community Quarantine protocols take effect tomorrow (Monday). “The President understands that while we are under ECQ, some will not be able to work so there will be assistance that we will give to our kababayan,” presidential
Rody spends 76th birthday in Davao City
AT A GLANCE
President Rodrigo Duterte
(AS OF 4 PM MARCH 27)
712,442 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES
NEW
ACTIVE
13,159
10
581,161
481
DEATHS
RECOVERIES
NEW
NEW
much cash assistance per affected household will be released. Roque said placing Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Bulacan will have a minimal impact on the economy since it will cover Holy Week holidays. Earlier this week, acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua
warned that imposing two weeks of a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in response to the current surge in COVID-19 cases would have resulted in a rise in the number of hungry people by 58,000 from the current 3.2 million. The number of unemployed would also increase by 128,500 from the current 506,000.
Duterte wants imported pork volume increased to 350,000 MT
COVID-19 PH
9,595 118,122
spokesman Harry Roque said. “Assistance will be given to individuals who will not be able to work during this one week ECQ,” he added. Roque said details of the “ayuda” will be disclosed to the public on Monday as economic managers finalize discussions on where to source the funds and how
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will spend his 76th birthday in Davao today (Sunday) but will head back to Manila immediately to witness the arrival of 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine bought from China’s Sinovac on Monday. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said he has already applied for an exemption to the 10-person limit for gatherings under the Enhanced Community Quarantine for the vaccine arrival ceremony. “The President will attend the arrival of the Sinovac vaccines. That is a go,” Roque said. The country earlier received 1 million Sinovac doses donated by the Chinese government and 525,600 AstraZeneca
doses donated through the Covax Facility. Monday’s shipment will be the first batch of vaccines procured by the government. Earlier, Roque said Duterte wishes nothing more for his birthday than “the end to the pandemic.” “I’m sure the President wishes an end to this pandemic and he wants all of us to go back to our normal life. This means he wants the country to return to high growth rates yearly because his promise is a more comfortable life for all,” he said. Roque said the President is also determined to continue efforts to fulfil his campaign promise of providing a comfortable life for all Filipinos.
Convicted ex-Calauan mayor dies inside Bilibid By Joel E. Zurbano and Rey Requejo
Bureau of Corrections spokesperson Gabriel Chaclag said Sanchez was found unresponsive at his cell around 8 a.m., prompting other inmates to bring him to the NBP hospital. ANOTHER high profile inmate at the He said at the hospital, the former mayNew Bilibid Prison—former Calauan, or was declared dead on arrival, and his Laguna mayor Antonio Sanchez—died body is now the subject of autopsy. on Saturday of a still unknown cause. “His cell mates last night saw and twitter.com/ MlaStandard
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him he was okay and he slept well. But this morning they noticed that he had not yet woken up,” said Chaclag in a news radio interview. Early last year, BuCor officials signed a document for the release of Sanchez, saying the former mayor was automatically eligible for Good Conduct Time Allowance.
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has proposed an increase in the volume of imported pork products to 350,000 metric tons from the present 54,210 MT, Malacañang said. “The Palace confirms that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte recommended the increase in the Minimum Access Volume (MAV) for pork by 350,000 MT, in addition to the current MAV of 54,210 MT for the year 2021,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said. The proposed MAV increase, Roque said, was meant to address rising food prices and boost pork supply in the country. “This is to immediately augment the supply of pork, stabilize increasing prices, and address the pressing issues on food security,” he said. The shortage of pork supply due to the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak prompted Duterte in February to approve the Department of Agriculture’s proposal to review the suggested increase in the country’s pork imports. The President’s proposed hike in pork imports will be relayed to Congress for its consideration. The increase in MAV will take effect, once lawmakers concur with Duterte’s recommendation. Last month, Duterte issued Executive Order No. 124 which sets a price cap of P270 per kg. for pork kasim and pigue, P300 per kg. for pork liempo, and P160 per kg. for dressed chicken until April 8. The DA has also submitted to the President a draft proclamation declaring a state of national emergency in the country to address the severe impact of ASF on the hog industry. In a memorandum dated March 17, Agriculture Secretary William Dar explained that the ASF has already spread to 12 regions, 40 provinces, 466 cities and municipalities, and 2,425 villages nationwide.
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