Rody Seeks ‘A Little More Time' For MGCQ Shift

President Duterte wants “a little more time” to allow further reopening of the economy or placing the entire country under the least restrictive modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), Malacañang said yesterday.

- Alexis Romero

“The President is just asking for a little more time because, again, it’s a step by step process for him. There should be a vaccination rollout first; let’s wait and let’s see a good and successful rollout of the vaccination,” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said at a press briefing.

“Once he sees the start of the vaccination program, if there are people who get vaccinated, and then he would make the decision about the MGCQ for the entire country,” he added.

Nograles said the loosening of some restrictions and the reopening of industries not allowed to operate under GCQ are being considered for next month.

While President Duterte has deferred the easing of quarantine restrictions in Metro Manila and other parts of the country until a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, the government would look for ways to further reopen the economy to address income losses caused by the lockdown, Nograles said.

He said members of the economic team have the leeway to review quarantine guidelines in GCQ areas to check what measures can be relaxed while maintaining health and safety protocols.

“There are ways and means for us to safely reopen the economy some more within the framework of GCQ,” Nograles pointed out.

“Our economic managers and the different concerned departments and agencies will have to work around that framework in order for us to address the needs,” he added.

Nograles said the InterAgency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) would make recommendations for areas to be kept under GCQ or upgraded to MGCQ.