Cagayan, Benguet execs push ECQ extension

By Raymund Catindig

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — Being declared free of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at this time is no reason to rejoice, Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba said Tuesday.

Mamba said he prefers an extension of the enhanced community quarantine in Cagayan Valley, noting that the threat of the resurgence of the disease “is just around the corner.”

He said the declaration that Cagayan Valley is COVID-free gives false hope to the people.

“To the DOH (Department of Health), habang nag ce-celebrate kayo kung zero na ang kaso ng COVID-19, ginagawa ninyong mas mahirap pasunurin ang tao because you are not truthful... If you say zero na tayo, na COVID-free ang Region 2, that’s not true,” Mamba said.

He urged the DOH to tell the public to stay home and follow quarantine rules until the threat of the virus is over.

Malacañang said Cagayan Valley is not among the regions covered by the extension of the ECQ.

Cagayan Valley was declared COVID-free after the remaining patient recovered on April 21. It recorded 27 cases, 26 of whom have recovered.

               Glenn Matthew Baggao of the Cagayan Valley Medical Center said no one tested positive for the virus in the region in the past 20 days.

This, as Benguet Gov. Melchor Diclas welcomed the extension of the ECQ in the province.

“Benguet is considered high-risk. There is no problem with it,” Diclas said.

He said the provincial government would ask for modifications to ensure infrastructure projects would continue.

Isabela first district Rep. Antonio Albano welcomed the consideration of the province under general community quarantine due to low risk of infection.

Albano proposed the setting up of more testing centers and monitoring of confirmed cases to prevent the spread of the virus.