By Emme Rose Santiagudo
Mass testing for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and public cooperation in the almost two weeks of the remaining period of the expanded enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Iloilo City will be crucial in determining whether the city will reopen by May 1 or the quarantine will be extended.
While the direction of the Iloilo City government is to open by May 1, Mayor Jerry Treñas said the decision will depend on the result of the mass testing in the metro.
“Ang aton direction is really to open by May 1. Amo na ginapangabay ko gid sa tanan nga kabay pa sundon niyo ang aton mga stringent measures. Indi ta gusto magkaproblema kay duwa na lang gid ka semana matapos na ini kag gusto ko na gid mag-abre,” he said in a press conference on Friday.
Treñas said that the city government is planning to utilize all the testing kits before May 1 to determine the situation of the COVID-19 in the metro.
“Ang amon naistoryahan ubuson ta kagamit ang test kits before May 1, kay gusto ta malantaw ang sitwasyon sa siyudad. Ang aton instruction irandom test ang mga police, frontliners nga nagabantay sa siyudad. Gusto naton makuha ang tanan nga impormasyon para bal-an ta ang aton direction by May 1,” he said.
Iloilo City has been placed under enhanced community quarantine from March 20 to April 14, 2020 following the threats of COVID-19. Classes in all levels were suspended and a curfew from 8 pm to 5 am was implemented.
The ECQ was extended to April 30 following the case of local transmission in the city.
Last week, the level of quarantine has been raised into an expanded ECQ, limiting the movement of people during weekends.
Under the expanded ECQ or weekend block off, residents will not be allowed to leave their homes during weekends except when buying food, basic commodities, medicines, and in times of medical emergencies. They are also required to wear face masks and secure quarantine pass.
A multisectoral task force composed of representatives from the city government and local business sector was also formed to come up with the recommendation on the gradual reopening of Iloilo City.
The mayor said that the reopening will also depend largely on the obeyance and cooperation from the public.
“Ang ginabantayan ta nga sign kon makita ta na gasunod ang tanan. Ang sa aton curfew tani magsunod lang kita tanan. Ang amon ginapangabay, kinahanglan gd naton magkooperar para by May 1 masiguro na naton nga makabukas kita amat-amat,” he said.
If the city opts to reopen by May 1, Treñas said that the public will have to adjust to the new normal.
“We cannot go on as usual. There will still be curfew pero basi mapanaog-naog naton into 10 pm or later. There will be no resumption of classes, kasal, bunyag and other mass gatherings wala anay. We can relax the quarantine pass requirements,” he said.
Unless that a vaccine is available for COVID-19, the mayor said the possibility of transmission will always be there. Hence, the city will have to live with the new normal.
