AFTER being delisted from the areas under extended enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the provincial governments of Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro have yet to decide whether to place their areas under ECQ or to totally shift to general community quarantine (GCQ).
The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) on Monday evening, April 27, removed the two provinces under the list of areas whose ECQ must be extended until May 15. Davao City was left as the lone local government unit (LGU) in Mindanao under extended ECQ after the city is considered a “high risk” area due to the increasing number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) positive patients in the city.
Davao de Oro governor Jayvee Tyron Uy on Tuesday evening, April 28, said the Regional Inter-agency Task Force-Davao Region, along with Davao de Oro mayors, and medical experts are still discussing the IATF order.
Uy said the IATF resolution states in Item B that provincial governors shall be authorized to impose ECQ in component cities, municipalities, and barangays upon the concurrence of their respective regional IATF.
The governor said his decision will be based on “scientific evidences” to ensure that there will be no resurgence of Covid-cases in the province.
He said the last Covid-19 case recorded in the province was last April 7.
“Aron makasiguro nga wala o gamay na lang ang tsansa nga aduna’y virus ang usa ka lugar, kinahanglan nga mupasar kini sa duha (2) ka incubation cycles. Ang usa ka incubation cycle mulungtad og katorse (14) ka adlaw, ang duha ka hugnaan kay baynte-otso (28) ka adlaw. [sic] (To ensure zero or slight chance of virus re-emergency in a certain area, there is a need for it to pass the two incubation cycles. One cycle would be done for 14 days, while a two round cycle would require 28 days),” Uy said in an official statement posted on his Facebook page.
According to him, based on the recommendation of the doctor, the two-round cycles would be until May 5.
Uy said he already had his personal decision, but he would still listen to the recommendation of the doctors.
“We want this to be a right and collective decision because what is at stake here is our lives, health, well-being, safety, security, and livelihood,” he said.
The government, meanwhile, asked for his constituents’ understanding on the matter.
Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib, as of press time, has still not issued any statement on the lifting of the extended ECQ in the province since Tuesday.
However, both Jubahib and Uy already released an executive order extending the ECQ in their provinces after the province was initially included in the ECQ-extended areas in the IATF order issued on April 24.
Both governors, prior to the April 24-order, along with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, had already signified placing their areas under modified community quarantine (MCQ).
Duterte-Carpio, meanwhile, said the ECQ guidelines, earlier, issued by the city government would still be imposed until May 15.