ILOILO – The province may likely retain its modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) status for the month of December, according to Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.
“I would expect nga amo man kita sa gihapon subject to minor adjustments,” Defensor said.
The governor floated this possibility yesterday although the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has yet to inform him of the province’s initial quarantine status recommendation.
“Wala pa sila sang communication sa aton kon ano ang aton quarantine classification,” he said.
Should the province retain its MGCQ status, Defensor said he would enforce minimal adjustments like opening of borders and adding more commercial flights and ship voyages.
He would base his decision to allow non-essential travel on the COVID-19 situation in Metro Manila and Cebu City. Most of the tourists who want to enter the province, he said, are from these two critical areas.
“Kada gani magdugang kita bukas, ginatan-aw gid naton ang ginahalinan because we assess the risk, gina-calculate gid naton kon ano ang risgu sa aton kon magpasulod kita diri,” the governor pointed out.
Late last month, Governor Defensor floated the possibility of allowing non-essential travel and the inter-zonal movement of individuals classified as non-Persons Authorized Outside of Residence “under reasonable regulations.”
But Defensor is still wary of the resurgence of cases with authorities still knee-deep in containing the spread of the viral illness.
“[Dapat] calculated ang aton pagbukas,” he stressed.
As of Thursday, Nov. 26, the province had a total of 2,642 of COVID-19 cases – 336 of which were active, 2,229 recovered and 77 died./PN