Granular lockdowns will be implemented by surprise, according to Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, contrary to earlier pronouncements that residents will be informed in advance.
The remark comes just days before the government targets to release the guidelines for the new COVID-19 alert system, either on Monday, September 13, or Tuesday, September 14.
“Wala namang warning, hindi mo malalaman. Ang nakakaalam lang kasi ng datos ay ang City Health office,” Malaya said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview that was featured in a report by Mav Gonzales on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.
“Kasi it would defeat the purpose kung may warning, o di mag-aalisan ‘yung mga tao, may clustering nga doon,” he added.
[There will be no warning, you will not know. Only the City Health Office has the data. It would defeat the purpose if a warning is given. People would leave the area and cluster with others.]
Interior Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III earlier said areas to be placed under granular lockdown will be advised 24 hours before the implementation to give them time to prepare.
It was initially announced that Metro Manila would undergo granular lockdowns under the pilot general community quarantine (GCQ) with alert systems earlier this month, but this was deferred and the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) was retained until September 15, 2021.
According to Palace spokesperson Harry Roque Jr., the granular lockdowns were targeted to be implemented on Wednesday, September 8, but guidelines were not ready.
Malaya said some details are being ironed out, such as concerns of some local government units regarding the area of origin of patients, noting that some hospitals are at full capacity but not all patients are residents of the area where the hospital is.
“Kahit ako din, kung minsan nalilito na rin ako sa daming CQ. Para ma-simplify, and purpose po nito ay para ma-simplify ‘yung ating susundin bilang isang bansa na buo itong alert level system with granular lockdowns,” he said.
“May mga konting maliliit na lamang na pinagdedebatehan pa sa IATF, ngunit sa tingin ko handang handa na tayo for the transfer,” Malaya added.
[Even I get confused with the number of CQs. This is to simply what we will follow as a nation under an alert level system with granular lockdowns… There are some details being debated upon on the IATF, but I believe we are ready for the transfer.] — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA News
