Ilocos Region under ECQ ‘fake news'

By Joanne Namnama P. Dilim

SAN FERNANDO CITY – The news that Ilocos Region is under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to rising Covid-19 cases is “fake news,” authorities said.
    Region 1 had 2,552 active cases; 7,649 recoveries; and 324 deaths out of the 10,525 total confirmed cases as of April 4.
    There was no directive, as of Monday, regarding ECQ in the Ilocos Region or any of its provinces for the month of April, Interior regional director James Fadrilan said.
    “That is fake news,” Fadrilan said when asked about the circulating news that Region 1 will be placed under ECQ this month of April amid the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in the region.
    However, Fadrilan, also the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (RIATF) chairperson, confirmed that his office has received a request to put Ilocos Sur under modified ECQ.
    “The request still needs validation based on guidelines on quarantine classification and concurrence from the RIATF and approval of the National Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases,” he said.
    Meanwhile, Regional Director Jennilyne Role of the Philippine Information Agency-Region 1, also head of the Crisis Communication Cluster of the Regional Task Force on Covid-19, urged the public not to spread misinformation and disinformation to avoid fear, panic, and confusion.
    “During these critical times, spreading false information is not helping. Mga kababayan, believe reliable sources only - check government sites,” Role said.
    Based on the latest announcement of Secretary Harry Roque, IATF spokesperson, on March 29, the entire Region 1 covering the provinces of Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte is under a Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) status this April per IATF resolution 107-A.