Palace backs PH shift to MGCQ: Panahon na para isalba naman ang mga naghihirap at nagugutom na Pilipino

By Prince Golez

Malacañang on Tuesday expressed support for a proposal to further reopen the economy, saying that more Filipinos are suffering from poverty and hunger than the coronavirus (Covid-19).

In his virtual presser, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said he’s among the members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases who voted to recommend to President Rodrigo Duterte to place the entire Philippines under Modified General Community Quarantine starting March 1.

“Merong pag-aaral ang NEDA na kung titimbangin natin ang numero ng nagkaksakit sa COVID, yung mga active cases natin, at yung mga namatay na sa COVID, mas matimbang po ngayon yung mga kababayan natin na nagugutom, yung ating additional na naghihirap, at yung mga karagdagang nawalang ng trabaho at yung all other deaths,” said Roque.

“Dahil mas matimbang ang paghihirap natin dahil sa non-COVID activities at dahil napatunayan naman ng Pilipino sa isang survey ng OCTA research na 93 percent (ng Pilipino) ay sumsunod sa pagsusuot ng mask eh pinapakita natin na panahon na siguro talaga na isalba naman natin ang ating mga kababayan sa pagkagutom at pagkahirap,” he furthered.

During a televised meeting with Duterte and some Cabinet members, acting NEDA chief Karl Chua pushed for increasing the operating capacity of public transportation from 50 percent to 75 percent.

The government should likewise allow the gradual expansion of age groups that can go out and the conduct of a dry run of face-to-face classes in areas with low Covid-19 risk, said Chua.

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)