By Joseph B.A. Marzan
Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. said on Friday that the province is ready to continue with the extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) until May 15, 2020.
This, after the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) announced Friday morning that Iloilo had been classified as a high-risk province for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The national IATF recommended that the province must continue with the ECQ until next month.
Defensor had announced Thursday during a meeting of the Regional IATF that he was planning to issue an Executive Order (EO) for a modified ECQ, which is also slated to run until May 15.
The province was initially placed under General Community Quarantine on March 15 through EO No. 028-C, as part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was elevated to the ECQ on March 20 through EO No. 080, and was set to expire on April 14. The ECQ was extended to April 30 via EO No. 102 issued on April.
Defensor said on Friday that the province will follow the directive of the national government, but he will issue the EO for the extension.
“The national government had a directive that we have to continue with the ECQ, so we will follow that. But of course, we have to issue an extension of the ECQ and an EO for it to be implemented. The recommendation of the national government is that we return to the ECQ because that is their assessment, that Iloilo is a high-risk area. We are still there at the ECQ but subject to review,” he said.
He then clarified that the province would continue with the planned modified ECQ, albeit with several adjustments from the previous iterations.
“We will continue with the modified ECQ, but we have to issue an EO because the current provisions need to be refined. We’ve already started with the EO, we will issue it this time and we want refinements, we will add a few adjustments.”
Defensor based the modified ECQ on the status of COVID-19 in the province as well as the economic status of the province.
“Yes, we continued to base this on how COVID-19 is in Iloilo and how it affected the province. Within the parameters of the ECQ, we will make some adjustments. For example, we will push for the resumption of the construction industry, that’s one thing that was allowed, but eventually did not continue. But it must return because it adds to significant fiscal losses for the economy of the province,” he said.
OFW REPATRIATION
Meanwhile, Ilonggo Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who have been stranded in Manila due to the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) may be able to return to their homes soon.
Defensor said Friday that he had been closely coordinating with Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) chief Hans Leo Cacdac on the testing and eventual repatriation of the OFWs.
He said the workers will be tested at the facility of the Philippine National Red Cross in Mandaluyong City before flying home.
He added that the province is also closely coordinating with the OWWA, the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Tourism (DOT) on setting up quarantine facilities upon their arrival.
“We’ve talked with OWWA Administrator Atty. Hans Cacdac in the national level, that our Ilonggo OFWs will be tested at the Red Cross facility in Mandaluyong CIty before they are sent here. Until then, we’re setting up with the OWWA, the DOH and the DOT the common quarantine facilities where they will be staying,” he said.
According to the DOT, several hotels have expressed their interest to temporarily house the OFWs, such as the Goldberry Hotel in City Proper, GT Hotels in City Proper and Jaro districts, Injap Tower Hotel, J7 and J7 Plaza Hotels in Mandurriao district and Urban Inn in La Paz district.
Department of Health data as of 4 p.m. April 24 indicated that Iloilo has 19 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 12 active cases, three recoveries, and four deaths.
