MANILA—Metro Manila mayors are set to decide "within the day" whether to extend the region's strict lockdown to curb the spread of the Delta variant, San Juan mayor Francis Zamora said Wednesday.

The capital region's 2-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) is set to lapse on Friday.

The Metro Manila Council had met Tuesday with the Department of Health and the National Economic and Development Authority, according to Zamora.

"We’re trying to find a balance, anong klaseng pagbabalanse ang gagawin para hindi masyadong maghirap ang ating mga mamamayan," he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

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(We need to find a balance so our citizens do not suffer.)

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"Ang choices parang ganito base sa pagpupulong kahapon, manatili sa ECQ mahirapan tayong lahat in terms of business, economy. Kung mag-downgrade naman tayo at magluwag nang kaunti, posibleng mas maraming mamatay."

(Our choices are if we keep the ECQ, our businesses and economy will struggle; if we downgrade, many more can possibly die.)

He added: "Anuman ang mapagbotohan ng (Whatever is voted on) Metro Manila Council is purely recommendatory."

In San Juan, 98 percent of virus patients are mild and asymptomatic, 1 percent are moderate, and 1 percent are severe to critical, according to the mayor.

A majority of the moderate to critical cases are unvaccinated against COVID-19, he said.

The city has fully inoculated 84 percent of its total population, or 120 percent of its target population to achieve herd immunity, Zamora said.

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The city vaccinated 2,000 residents within a week's time due to its "ayuda plus bakuna" program, he added.

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"Sinabayan natin ng pagbabakuna ang pamamahagi ng ayuda . . . para 'yung mga nagke-claim ng ayuda kung di pa sila bakunado, they can get vaccinated on the spot," he said.

(We made it so that residents claiming cash aid, if they have not been vaccinated yet, they can get inoculated on the spot.)

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