Mayors in Metro Manila opposed the recommendation of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to allow people ages five to 70 to leave their homes, according to Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro on Thursday.
Teodoro explained that the mayors could not see the need to let this age group go outside, especially that they could be super-spreaders of COVID-19.
“Sa kabuuan, ang mga mayor ayaw talagang ibaba ng limang taon hanggang 70 taong gulang dahil wala naman talagang nakikitang pangangailangan at baka maging super spreader pa ‘yung mga ganitong edad,” he said.
Teodoro said the Metro Manila Council (MMC) will come up with a consensus in two days.
“Napagpasyahan ng MMC na magkakaroon kami ng consensus building sa susunod na dalawang araw,” Teodoro said.
“Kung ano ‘yung mabubuong recommendation ng mga mayors ay isa-submit sa IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases) for the consideration,” he added.
Meanwhile, The Metro Manila Council and the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) have agreed to allow individuals aged 15 years old and above to go out after a meeting on Wednesday night, Corinne Catibayan’s reported on Saksi.
However, NEDA’s proposal to place the entire country under modified general community quarantine or MGCQ was not included in the deliberation of IATF and the Metro Manila mayors.
Also read: Assistance for teen mothers needs focus: Popcom
Metro Manila mayors oppose allowing ages 5 to 70 to go out
According to acting NEDA chief Karl Chua, more than P1 trillion was lost to the country’s economy by 2020 due to lockdown protocols implemented to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
He said this is equivalent to P2.8 billion per day.
In addition, he said, the number of recorded cases can be controlled and there are mechanisms that are supposed to continue to control it.
The IATF also agreed to NEDA’s following recommendations which are for President Rodrigo Duterte’s consideration:
- increasing the capacity allowed in public transport from 50% to 75%;
- complimenting public transport with active transport via bike lanes;
- allowing more provincial buses to operate;
- resuming the pilot-testing of face-to-face classes.