Malacañang hopes COVID-19 cases won’t skyrocket to 40k after GCQ extension
MANILA, Philippines — In response to experts from the University of the Philippines, the Palace said Monday that it hoped that localized lockdown would keep the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) below the warning prescribed by the researchers.
Speaking in an interview over GMA-7, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that the current tally of coronavirus would not reach 40,000 amid the now-extended general community quarantine, which is set to go on until June's end.
"First of all, UP’s recommendation was followed since we did not shift to MGCQ. They gave a warning that if we continue to loosen restrictions, we may reach 40,000," he said in a mix of Filipino and English.
"We expect that since we are still under GCQ and there will be a localized lockdown, we will not reach 40,000 cases," he added.
Experts from the University of the Philippines actually warned earlier that premature graduation to general community quarantine would also yield 24,000 cases and 1,700 deaths by June 15.
RELATED: UST study: 'Rigorous testing, tracking' can curb rise in COVID-19 cases under GCQ
Premature GCQ in Metro Manila could add 24K cases, 1,700 deaths by June — UP study
That case toll had already been breached by June 11, after GCQ was still implemented at the start of the month.
'Serve at the pleasure of Filipinos'
In an interview with ANC, Dr. Tony Leachon, who serves as medical adviser to government's task force on the pandemic, said that Health Secretary Francisco Duque, who has been asked to resign from his post by a number of senators, that he would need to escalate efforts in gathering data on the outbreak.
Leachon added that Duque would need to "reflect [and] work at the pleasure of the people."
"I think he needs to step up. He needs also to hear the voices of the people and reflect on some other plans and measures and perhaps a very brief three-day team building and come up with a business plan for the next 3 months given that you have a new epicenter right now. Now you have two epicenters. We cannot fight too many battles considering we have finite resources and manpower," he said.
"It’s something you want to express without of course assaulting the health agency. I know there are unrecognized men and women who are working day and night but sometimes looking at the big picture, there are more than 1,000 lives lost, many healthcare workers who have perished, there are many people who are jobless," he added.
"And all of these things will be solved if you could come up with timely, real-time, credible and trustworthy and granular data."
For his part, Roque was careful to emphasize that the country was following the recommendations set by the UP scientists.
Yet as of this writing, over 26,000 Filipinos have been infected with the coronavirus, according to the health department's latest tally on Monday afternoon.
Almost 2,000 have died. — Franco Luna
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