By Joseph B.A. Marzan
Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. said he is preparing an Executive Order defining the guidelines and procedures for the lifting of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in the province on May 1, 2020.
Defensor said that he is eyeing to implement the EO by April 30, on the expiry of the extended ECQ in the province.
The province was initially placed under General Community Quarantine on March 15, 2020, through the issuance of EO No. 028-C, as part of its response to the threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
This was followed by the ECQ through EO No. 080 issued on March 20 and was originally set to expire on April 14, 2020.
Due to the growing number of positive cases of COVID-19 in the country, however, the governor issued EO No. 102 on April 8, extending the ECQ to April 30.
ECONOMIC FACTORS
The governor said that the provincial government is considering some factors in crafting the proposed EO.
“We are looking for the basis, and there are a lot of things to study. First, what is its impact on us? There are three things here: [local government units], the economy and hospitals. There are many things we have to understand here so we will know what quarantine procedures we will be implementing on April 30. We are trying to understand the economics of it before we proceed, on what needs to be continued to protect the economy, and to sustain the people, what needs to be stopped? There, you will see, that it is one of the bases on what kind of quarantine procedures we will implement,” he said.
He added that when it would come to the economy, one of the most important factors to consider is the labor component.
“When we start with the economy, which sectors were the most affected by the ECQ? For example, when we ask for data from the [Department of Public Works and Highways], how much of its budget for its projects are implemented in the province? There’s a labor component here. Like when you implement it here, when it stops, you will have an idea how much the economy is losing that workers aren’t getting paid. To our other laborers, how much was lost by residents of the province who worked at SM, at hotels and restaurants, and at establishments in the province which were forced to close down as a result?” he said.
Another important factor is the money already being spent by the provincial government and the LGUs in the province.
“On the other hand, we are looking at how much the province has spent, how much the LGUs have spent, how much donations were given, and then we compare this with the money lost in the economy and the money being spent by the government. We will know then the level of sustainability on the economic side,” he said.
Another question is how the ECQ affected the agricultural sector.
“Is there an impact on agriculture? Supposed to be, despite the ECQ, agriculture did not stop, and we did that on purpose because we need to eat. Is there an impact of the slowdown on agriculture? Well, I think there is, but we are looking for the exact figures because you will know where we are going,” Defensor said.
The agricultural industry has continued to operate despite the ECQ, with public markets, farms and fish ports remaining open although at limited times of the day.
In some municipalities such as Pavia, Oton, and in the fifth congressional district, mayors imposed local EOs to close off markets on specific dates to discourage people from coming out of their homes and further contain the spread of COVID-19.
MASS TESTING
Defensor said the province is also looking at its capabilities for mass testing as an important factor in re-opening the province.
“What is the level of our testing capacity? One thing is for sure, that whether or not we will continue to have positive cases after April 30, we will have a follow-through for that. We will have to continue testing,” he said.
EO No. 102 also mandated COVID-19 testing in the province, with priority on vulnerable persons, frontliners, and suspect and probable cases.
As of 8 a.m. of April 20, Iloilo has had 18 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 11 active cases, three recoveries and four deaths.
