Regional IATF ‘favorably endorsing’ Cebu province’s appeal for MGCQ – Gwen

Map of Cebu via Google Maps

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia announced on Friday, June 12, that their appeal to shift the province from general community quarantine to a modified one is getting a favorable response as it is being endorsed to the national government.

“Yesterday (Thursday), we sent the appeal to the regional IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force). And we asked for the status, and we received feedback that the regional IATF is favorably endorsing our appeal,” Garcia said in a mix of Cebuano and English.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease, or IATF, is the national government’s decision-making body for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response.

Cebu province has been placed from an enhanced community quarantine to GCQ since May 20. The provincial government wanted to further ease quarantine restrictions in order to revive its economy.

READ MORE: Galvez: ‘High chance’ for Cebu province’s appeal for MGCQ

As of June 11, health officials recorded a total of 340 documented COVID-19 cases in the province, in which 220 remain as ‘active cases’.

Based on the figures provided by the Provincial Health Office (PHO), the majority of the 340 coronavirus patients, comprising 65 percent, are asymptomatic while 58 are under hospital care.

COVID-19 recoveries in Cebu have, on the other hand, climbed to 87 while its deaths stood at 33. But Garcia said 27 of the 33 deaths are tagged as due to ‘incidental causes’.

IATF officials, including its chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., were in Cebu last Thursday to inspect and monitor the COVID-19 situation here.

The Malacañang also announced that President Rodrigo Duterte will be presenting and approve the new community quarantine statuses of all areas in the country, including Cebu, this Monday, June 15. /rcg

READ MORE: Duterte meeting with IATF postponed to Monday, June 15 — Palace