Former Vice President Jejomar Binay on Friday expressed confidence that mayors in Metro Manila will efficiently manage the imposition of granular lockdowns to stop the spread of COVID-19.
“While many experts, including WHO (World Health Organization), have expressed reservations over the timing of the granular lockdown experiment in Metro Manila, let us all do our share and pray for its success,” said Binay
“Our people have suffered so much for the last 18 months, and we hope this experiment will provide them with some form of relief,” he added.
Binay said the good thing about the granular lockdown system is “that it is not the national government that is implementing it but the mayors of Metro Manila.”
He said local government officials know the situation on the ground better than those in the national government.
“And several Metro Manila LGUs have been implementing this type of lockdown for some months now. Not only do they test, trace, and isolate residents in locked down areas but they also provide food and other essential goods directly to affected residents. In short, the mayors know what to do,” said Binay, who served as Makati City mayor from 1986 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2010.
Binay said the last thing the local chief executives need is for national government imposing policies that are impractical and detached from realities on the ground.
“The best thing the national government can do is to be ready to provide support if needed, especially in enforcing granular lockdowns and extending aid. But they should let the mayors do their work,” he said.
“As a general rule, the national government should leave the mayors alone,” the former vice president added.
As of Thursday, at least 50 areas in Metro Manila have been placed under a 14-day granular lockdown.
The government imposed the Alert Level 4 and granular lockdowns in the National Capital Region beginning on Thursday to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus disease.
Under Level 4, outdoor or alfresco dine-in services in restaurants are allowed to operate at 30% capacity, regardless of customers’ vaccination status, while indoor dine-in services may be allowed at 10 percent capacity, only for fully vaccinated individuals.
Personal care services limited to barbershops, hair spas, nail spas, and beauty salons are allowed to operate at 30%, if these services are conducted outdoors, regardless of customers’ vaccination status, while indoor services are at 10 percent capacity, only for fully vaccinated persons.