DILG: 112 areas nationwide under localized lockdown

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday said a total of 112 areas nationwide had been placed under localized lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“Localized lockdown is like hitting COVID-19 at its source, which has been proven to be effective, especially in the 112 areas where it is currently being implemented. It really works since the hot zones areas are secluded from the rest of the community, hence, stopping the transmission to other communities,” Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said in a statement.

According to the Año, implementing zoning or localized lockdown is the best approach in containing coronavirus as it narrows down and focuses on areas where cases, either positive or suspected, are concentrated.

According to DILG spokesman Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, of the 112 areas, a total of 67 are in the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR); 18 in National Capital Region, 19 in Cebu City, one each in Cavite, Quezon Province, Leyte, and five in Cagayan de Oro City.

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For the 67 areas in CAR, Malaya added that seven municipalities, 51 barangays, one purok, one subdivision, two buildings, and five zones within Mountain Province, Province of Apayao, Kalinga, Ifugao, Abra, Benguet, and Baguio City were now under localized lockdown.

In Metro Manila, Quezon City has four areas under localized quarantine; nine in Parañaque City; two in Caloocan City; and one each in Muntinlupa City, Navotas City, and Malabon City, Undersecretary Malaya said.

Meanwhile, in Cebu City, there are 19 containment zones, including Sambag II, Punta Princesa, Tejero, and Inayawan. The following barangays, on the other hand, were identified as hotspots and are under strict lockdown: Sambag II; Kamputhaw; Sambag 1; Basak San Nicola; Mabolo; Guadalupe; Lahug; Duljo Fatima; Tinago; Tisa; Ermita; and Tejero.

“Thus, the National Task Force saw the need for an LGU-led containment strategy where LGUs could monitor the pandemic more accurately in their respective areas and allow them to adopt a calibrated response that can adapt to emerging conditions in their areas, enabling them to stay ahead of the outbreak trajectory,” Malaya said.

“Mahirap din naman ‘yun basta-basta lang tayo magdeclare ng localized lockdown with no system in place,” Malaya said.