Tinimtimbang pa ng ilang senador ang posibleng pagpapalawig ng Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) pagkatapos ng Abril 13.
May ilan sa kanila ang pabor meron din nagsabing kailangan munang pag-aralan itong mabuti bago gumawa ng hakbang ang pamahalaan.
“I favor extending the current ECQ to April 30. We are only beginning to see data of symptoms post-quarantine. And I see some data that shows it is effective. But too early to tell. An extra two weeks would help,” pahayag ni Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon.
“We are only beginning to see data of symptoms post-quarantine. And I see some data that shows it is effective. But too early to tell. An extra two weeks would help,” dagdag nito.
Subalit kailangan umanong tiyakin umanong tiyakin ng gobyerno na sapat ang suplay ng pagkain gayundin ang iba pang pangununahing pangangailangan at serbisyo sa dagdag na dalawang linggo na pagpapalawig nito.
“But during those two weeks, ensure food supply and movement of essential goods and services,” ani Drilon.
“We can consider relaxing ECQ during May 1-May 30. Still no travel to/from Luzon. Still no malls, churches, mass gatherings. But what is essential is more jobs and livelihood as well as access to food and supplies,” wika pa nito.
Pabor din sa community quarantine extension si Senator Joel Villanueva dahil hindi pa na umano tapos ang coronavirus outbreak sa bansa.
“The increasing incidence of COVID positive individuals tells us that the pandemic is not yet over. I am in favor of extending the quarantine,” sabi ni Villaneuva sa kanyang text message.
“At the same time, we have to consult our supply chain experts as we need to probably exempt some sectors in this lockdown, especially the food, manufacturing and delivery sector,” dagdag pa nito.
Ang iba namang senador ay iniisip pa kung dapat pang alisin na o palawigin pa ang enhanced community quarantine.
“Have to study it well. Balance safety and economy. I agree with the thinking, ‘Life first, economy later,'” ayon kay Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
Kinatigan ni Senator Panfilo Lacson ang pahayag ni Sotto.
“It’s a most difficult decision to strike a balance between flattening the curve of COVID-19 and the looming economic recession due to inactivity,” sabi ni Lacson.
“It is better left to those who have unlimited access to all the data to decide which is the best course of action to take moving forward,” dagdag pa nito.
Sinabi naman ni Senador Francis Tolentino na kailang may ‘emprical basis’ ang pagpapalawig ng enhance community quarantine.
“The decision should have empirical basis taking into consideration the health of the individual members of society as well as the health of the economy,” sabi ni Tolentino.
“I leave that decision to the President, however we should have an economic stimulus law to resucitate the economy in the long term which is likewise a job of Congress,” wika pa nito. (Dindo Matining)