MMC chairman says 10 pm to 4 am ''best time for curfew''
The chairman of the Metro Manila Council (MMC) on Thursday said 10 pm to 4am is the best curfew hour for the National Capital Region (NCR) as it seeks to limit people's mobility with COVID-19 cases rising.
“On my side after consultations with the economic team and city health office, 10 pm to 4 am is the best time for curfew. Why 4am? So that those who are working in call centers, BPO, will have easier transportation,” Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez said in a TV interview.
Paranaque City adjusted their curfew from 10pm to 4am from the earlier 12 midnight to 4am.
Olivarez said deciding an unified curfew hour is the main agenda of their meeting later Thursday.
Last Wednesday, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) appealed to Metro Manila mayors to have a uniform curfew hour so that the public will not have a hard time due to the interconnectivity between the cities.
DILG said cities have different curfew hours imposed in the NCR.
In Muntinlupa and Caloocan it is 10 pm-4 am in ; 10 pm- 5 am in Malabon, Navotas, Quezon City, and Marikina; and 12 midnight - 3 am in Pateros . It is 12 midnight - 4 am in Valenzuela, Pasay, Taguig, Las Piñas, Makati City, Mandaluyong City; and 12 midnight-5 am in Manila and Pasig.
Also included in their meeting is how Metro Manila will address border controls and granular lockdowns.
Olivarez said they are not eyeing using quarantine passes as it will only affect the economy.
“Our economy is already suffering. A lot of people lost their jobs and some businesses closed down. If we implement the quarantine pass that only one person per household (are allowed to go out) like during ECQ (enhanced community quarantine), our economy will be affected,” he said.
“I think we just have to do full implementation of minimum health standards such as wearing of face mask, face shield, social distancing, and prohibition of gatherings of more than 10 people in entire Metro Manila,” he added.
Olivarez said the COVID-19 cases in the NCR increased by 200 percent in just two weeks.
Based on Department of Health (DOH) records, NCR has 19, 293 active cases as of March 10. Ella Dionisio/DMS
