Benguet MECQ still on; IATF denies gov’s plea

By Redjie Melvic M. Cawis

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- This province remains under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) classification from June 1 to June 15.
    Gov. Melchor Diclas said the provincial government sent a letter addressed to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, chairperson of the National Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, appealing classification of Benguet will revert back to general community quarantine (GCQ) this June.
    The appeal was denied and MECQ or a stricter quarantine classification was again imposed in the province.
    “We appealed that we be under GCQ dahil kapag MECQ walang restaurants, walang ibang mga activities kaya iniisip natin ang hanap buhay ng maraming tao,” Diclas told a press briefing following the provincial IATF meeting on June 3.  
    Diclas said Benguet now is on a downtrend in Covid-19 cases compared to the previous months and this was stressed in the appeal sent to the National IATF on May 28.
    He said the decreasing trend in the number of new confirmed cases in the province led to declining bed occupancy in isolation facilities and hospital utilization rate.
    As of June 1, the Provincial Health Office reported a total of 8,664 Covid-19 cases recorded in the province with 8,101 recoveries or 94 percent while 355 are active cases (4 %) and 208 Covid-19 related deaths (2%).
    From May 19 to June 1, the average daily attack rate was 5.41 with a -41 percent 2-week daily growth rate.
On hospital utilization rate, Benguet was reportedly low risk in terms of occupancy rate with 60% of hospital beds occupied.

He added the number of cases admitted in the hospital decreased compared to the previous two weeks when no beds were available for admission.

Among LGUs in the Cordillera, Benguet had a relatively high vaccine utilization rate of 96% based on allocation.

Benguet towns also requested 12,000 doses from the Dept. of Health this June as demand for the vaccination has been increasing.

Despite low cases, some municipal government units opted to place Covid-19 cases under home isolation which may have contributed to the decision placing Benguet under MECQ, Diclas said.

He urged the public to strictly comply with health protocols and restrictions provided under MECQ guidelines such as wearing masks and face shields, maintaining proper hygiene, frequent washing of hands, observing cough etiquette, avoiding crowded areas and mass gatherings and maintaining good health. – PIA Cordillera