Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Wednesday said he remains confident that the National Capital Region (NCR) can go back to the less stringent general community quarantine (GCQ) as the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) lapses on August 18.
Lorenzana’s remarks came after coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases saw a single-day record spike of 6,958 new infections on Monday, the same day he said that the NCR is ready to shift back to GCQ due to the gradual decline of new cases of the disease.
“My statement has a caveat. If trends continue that the new cases decrease, because during my interview, (the case was only) 3,000 (on) the day before, from 6,000 (during) the previous days. That was the trend I was referring to,” said Lorenzana, also the chairperson of the National Task Force on Covid-19, in a media statement.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier placed Metro Manila and the nearby provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal under a two-week MECQ due to the rise in the number of Covid-19 cases.
“But we still have five days to go before the end of MECQ. I may be proven right yet,” he added.
Lorenzana earlier said the country cannot continue imposing lockdowns as there is a pressing need to do something to reopen the economy. (PNA)
