Pasay seeks more time for MGCQ shift

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the rising cases of COVID 19 in Pasay, Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano said they would ask the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases for more time before shifting Metro Manila to the most lenient modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).

Rubiano, who tested positive for the virus last month, said they need two more weeks to be able to study the community transmission of COVID-19 in the city.

“I think we should be given two more weeks for us to study our situation,” Rubiano said in an interview with “The Chiefs” on One News/TV5 on Tuesday night.

“Pasay could only be placed under MGCQ if the number of COVID-19 infections would go down,” she added.

Earlier, President Duterte said he might place Metro Manila under MGCQ if the Philippines would be able to secure two million doses of COVID-19 vaccine by the end of March.

The Department of Health reported on Tuesday that three of the six cases of the South African variant of COVID-19 were detected in Pasay.

Samples from these three patients were collected to ensure that they have recovered from the virus, Rubiano said.

She said their families and possible close contacts were also ordered to undergo swab tests.

The mayor said the entire Barangay 183 and around 210 households from 77 barangays were placed on lockdown to prevent the virus from further spreading.

Vaccine rollout

Meanwhile, the local governments of Muntinlupa and Valenzuela as well as St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig started yesterday the vaccination of their healthcare workers.

Doctors Edwin Dimatatac and Jose Acuin, chiefs of the Ospital ng Muntinlupa and the Asian Hospital and Medical Center, respectively, received the first jabs of Sinovac.

National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr., Taguig Mayor Lino Cayetano and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority general manager Jojo Garcia witnessed the vaccine rollout at the SLMC.