Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has warned hotels to strictly follow quarantine protocols or face the consequences.
Moreno said he will be forced to close down establishments that will violate quarantine protocols for a fee. He said it won’t matter if the person involved is rich or prominent.
Moreno made the warning following reports that certain hotels offer absentee quarantine packages to Returning Filipino Overseas (RFOs) that came to light after a balikbayan dubbed “Poblacion Girl” went viral on social media. The woman went to Poblacion in Makati to party with friends when she is supposed to be undergoing quarantine.
He also reminded his constituents not to do what “Poblacion Girl” did.
“Plain and simple reminder, there are existing laws in the country that you can be held liable for criminally. I just want to remind you that you be held liable” he said.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III assured that the incident is already being investigated by the Bureau of Quarantine and other concerned government agencies, including the Department of Interior and Local Government, and the Philippine National Police.
“We will hold people to account for the breach in the protocols. These are clear violations of established protocols…Anybody who will be found guilty of breaching them, violating these rules and regulations will be made to account to the fullest extent of the law,” Duque vowed.
Earlier, Moreno opened the Manila COVID-19 Field Hospital in Luneta as a quarantine facility for infected RFOs following the rise of new COVID-19 cases and confirmed cases of the Omicron variant among balikbayans.
Moreover, the Manila City government will shoulder all expenses until all ROFs complete their quarantine requirements.
Moreno’s running mate, Dr. Willie Ong was the first to relay to Moreno the anti-COVID wonder drug Molnupiravir which he described as “beneficial” and “life-saving.”
Molnupiravir is the first oral antiviral drug that will prevent mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 from progressing into a severe disease that needs hospitalization.
Ong had revealed there are also two new anti-COVID drugs undergoing clinical trials by Pfizer. These are Plasmovid and Retonovir which are said to be stronger in terms of efficacy in saving the lives of COVID-infected patients.
