MANILA — An official leading the country's COVID-19 response on Friday said he was very confident that Metro Manila can shift to the lowest quarantine level in March, despite 2 mutations of the novel coronavirus detected in the Visayas.

Even under general community quarantine, the second most relaxed quarantine level, the capital region had already opened up its economy without spikes in coronavirus infections, said Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19.

Asked if the region can shift to modified GCQ despite mutations found in Cebu, he said, “Very confident ako, iyong Metro Manila kayang-kaya nila ‘yan.”

(I am very confident that Metro Manila can handle it.)

Mel Feliciano, a retired major general who is chief implementer of the inter-agency task force against COVID-19 in the Visayas, is in Cebu to address the mutations, said Galvez.

“They are doing their best. They are up to the toes. Magiging maayos na ‘yan (it will be fixed) in a few weeks’ time,” he said in a visit to Pateros.

Video courtesy of PTV

Nine of 17 mayors in the capital region back a shift to MGCQ by March, which marks a year since the country was first placed under quarantine.

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In shifting to MGCQ, mayors want to allow 15-65 year olds to go out of their homes, from the current 18-65 age bracket, said Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benhur Abalos. Regulations bar children and senior citizens from going out of their houses due to their vulnerability to the virus.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) earlier this week recommended gradually allowing people between the ages of 5 and 7 years old to go out of their houses.

Metro Manila has a “very effective” contact-tracing set-up and mayors can request a lockdown on areas with COVID-19 spikes, Abalos said.

“Just request it to the Regional Task Force, ako po ‘yun. Then ako kukuha agad ako ng comment sa iba-iba, and I promise you in one day I can give you the decision,” he added.

(Just request it to the Regional Task Force, that's me. Then I will get comments.)

“At least napagbigyan natin iyong kalusugan, at napagbigyan din natin ang ating ekonomiya. Iyan po ang naging botohan at pananaw ng mga mayor po ng Kalakhang Maynila,” he said of the MGCQ shift.

(At least we can give way to health standards, and the economy, too. That was how the mayors of Metro Manila voted.)

Pateros Mayor Miguel Ponce III said he does not believe the MGCQ would lead to a surge in coronavirus infections.

“Ang tingin kasi natin, nasa GCQ man tayo, marami nang modifications from the original IATF guidelines. Personally ang tingin ko, with the strict implementation of the health protocols kaya naman,” he said.

(We think that whether or not we are in GCQ, there have been many modifications from the original IATF guidelines. Personally, I think it's feasible with the strict implementation of the health protocols.)

“Kung (whether) GCQ, MGCQ, at the end of the day it is in the individual behavior ng bawat isa,” the mayor added.

Metro Manila, which accounts for about a third of the country's gross domestic product, is under GCQ, the second least stringent out of 4 lockdown levels, along with the Cordilleras and 6 other areas in February.

The rest are under modified general community quarantine, the loosest quarantine restriction level.

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The Philippines has Southeast Asia's second highest number of coronavirus infections and deaths, at 555,163 and 11,673, respectively.

The country has yet to receive any COVID-19 shot, with which it hoped to launch its vaccination drive this month, and cover up to 70 million people or two-thirds of the population through the year.

Further delays could derail economic recovery after the country's worst contraction on record last year, when it slumped 9.5 percent, the biggest decline in Southeast Asia.

— With reports from Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News; Reuters