‘MECQ in Cebu unnecessary’

MANILA, Philippines — The business sector in Cebu has opposed the shift to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in the province and its three independent cities, saying it is unnecessary.

The cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu City as well as Cebu province will be under the stricter quarantine status from Aug. 1 to 15, Malacañang announced yesterday.

“We support the strict enforcement of health protocols and possibly some granular lockdowns, but we are totally against MECQ considering our vaccination rate, health care capabilities and capacities... MECQ will bring our economy back to square one and it is an unnecessary action,” Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Steven Yu said.

Yu said Mandaue has vaccinated 35 percent of its eligible population and imposed stricter health protocols, such as a liquor ban and longer curfew hours.

Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Felix Taguiam said the stricter quarantine classification is another ”slap” on their recovering economy.

“It would be hard for all of us,” he said.

GCQ with heightened restrictions

Meanwhile, Bacoor in Cavite was placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions until Aug. 15 due to an “alarming”
surge in COVID-19 cases, Mayor Lani Mercado-Revilla said yesterday.

She said stricter quarantine protocols were imposed starting at midnight yesterday.

Revilla said Bacoor recorded two index cases of the highly infectious Delta variant, with 28 of their 130 contacts also testing positive for the virus.

From an average of 30 COVID-19 cases a day, she said the infections rose to 92 on Thursday.

The city has fully vaccinated 49,307 people or about 11.73 percent of the target population while 87,211 have received their first dose.

In Pangasinan, provincial health officer Anna Ma. Teresa de Guzman said they have not recorded any Delta case.

De Guzman said an overseas Filipino worker reported to have been exposed to a patient infected with Delta presented a negative swab test result upon arrival in the province. – Emmanuel Tupas, Eva Visperas