Palace eyes total lockdown in Metro Manila

March 16, 2020

Some Cabinet officials will recommend to President Rodrigo Duterte to declare a total lockdown in Metro Manila to prevent further spread of coronavirus disease.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, in a press briefing on Monday in Malacanang, said he, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Ano and some other officials will propose this to Duterte during the meeting later in the afternoon with the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases and security officials.

"This is a matter of national survival. We have to be resigned to that fact. This is a matter of life and death...I think we really have to restrict the movement," he said.

He said they were looking at the Macau model where it was able to contain the spread of the virus among its people.

But Panelo said if there would be a total lockdown, movement of goods would not be hampered.

"The entry of food supply would not be stopped," Panelo said, adding that even the markets and grocery stores would be allowed to operate.

He said the Palace has monitored what had happened earlier in the day where in some areas, particularly where there are lots of passengers, social distancing was not followed.

He also assured that the Department of Labor and Employment has prepared some programs for those whose work would be affected.

Panelo said after the IATF meeting, Duterte would again have a public address.

Duterte has placed the entire Metro Manila under community quarantine beginning March 15 until April 14. But despite that workers in and outside Metro Manila are still allowed to travel.

As of Sunday night, death toll from COVID-19 has climbed to 12 while the number of confirmed cases has increased to 140. Celerina Monte/DMS