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- Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque added that two options are to extend the lockdown or implement a modified ECQ in areas strongly affected by the COVID-19.
- President Duterte met with experts to study the current situation of the country.
On April 20, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque stated that President Rodrigo Duterte will decide this week about what action the government will take regarding the extended enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) imposed on Luzon.
It is set to end on April 30.
Roque added that the President is now entertaining two options: to extend the lockdown once again or implement a modified community quarantine in select government units that are affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
He said that President Duterte will base his decision on his meetings with health experts like the former secretaries of the Department of Health (DOH) and the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force handling the COVID-19 response.
“Dahil sampung araw nalang at matatapos na ang ECQ, kinakailangan magdecide na ang Presidente ngayong linggong ito dahil anuman ang desisyon niya ay kinakailangan paghanda ang implementation.”
It is said that he will base his decision on science.
Among the experts that the President will meet are Janet Garin, Esperanza Cabral, Jaime Galvez Tan, Susan Mercado, Anthony Leachon, Ana Lisa Ong Lim, Marissa Alejandria, Katherine Ann Reyes, and Alfredo Mahar Lagmay.
The Palace stated that the administration is currently looking for a way to “balance” the obligation to protect its people and also their right for livelihood.
“Because the decision is one of the most difficult decisions the President has to make, he will be guided by science. Siyensya po ang gagamitin ng Presidente sa desisyong ito.”
The Luzon enhanced community quarantine was supposed to lapse on April 12 but the President approved the proposal to extend it until April 30.
