Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 21) — The Philippines could only see the end of widescale quarantine restrictions once the country achieves herd immunity, an official said on Monday, in response to calls from local governments to have more say in declaring lockdowns.
Interior Undersecretary Epimaco Densing said government agencies are discussing the possibility of scrapping city- or province-wide community quarantine classifications when at least 70 million Filipinos have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Local chief executives could then be given the freedom to enforce granular lockdowns.
“It’s already being discussed in our National Action Plan with the National Task Force, so meron nang initial discussions… At the end of the day, when we reach the level of herd immunity of vaccinating 70% of our population, we have to be ready na ibibigay na natin sa local governments,” he told CNN Philippines.
[Translation: It’s already being discussed in our National Action Plan with the National Task Force, so there are initial discussion. At the end of the day, when we reach the level of herd immunity of vaccinating 70% of our population, we have to be ready to give that to local governments.]
The official said the discussion was borne out of the requests of governors to have more “independence” in declaring lockdowns. He added that granular lockdowns can only be enforced with the concurrence of the regional IATF.
The discussion is in its early stages. The technical working group has to forward their recommendation to the Inter-Agency Task Force — composed of Cabinet secretaries — which will make the final recommendation to President Rodrigo Duterte.
Health spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire confirmed Densing’s remarks. She said granting autonomy to local chief executives is part of the national government’s long-term goals.
“That is our goal in the coming months but not yet immediately. Pinaguusapan para kahit i-shift natin sa kanila ang pagpapatupad nitong quarantine classifications, may safeguards tayo na ipapasok at hindi magkakaroon ng risk of having further transmission at hindi magkakaroon ng risk na hindi maging rational ang pagpapasara ng local government sa kanilang lugar,” she said in a media briefing.
[Translation: We are discussing how to shift the implementation of quarantine classifications. There will be safeguards so we can prevent further transmission and there will be no risk of irrational lockdowns in their areas.]
Around 2.15 million Filipinos have so far completed their COVID-19 vaccination — only 3 percent of the national government’s plan to vaccinate at least 70 million individuals by December.
