The local government unit in General Santos City and, for that matter, the whole of Region 12 or the South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City (SOCCSKSARGEN) corridor, has appealed to the Inter-Agency Task Force to continue be placed under the general community quarantine category.
More than anything else, it is the fear that the 2019 corona virus disease (COVID 19) has not been totally controlled for several reasons. Once, there is still no ‘mass test6ing’ done in the region. Two, it is still lacking in intensive are units should a massive infection occur. Three, the region shares common border with Region XI where there is continuing cases of infection, particularly in Davao City.
In addition, but more importantly, there is still no testing center in the region. Swab tests are still sent to the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City for laboratory tests.
So far, the region has relatively controlled COVID-19 from spreading in the area. For more than a month now, Region 12 has not registered a single incident of COVID infection.
General Santos city, in particular, has flattened the curve, so to speak. Since March 15, only 1 COVID case was reported with no deaths. More than 30 other person who were taken swab tests turned in negative results.
There are no statistical data to support the continued GCQ status in the city.
The modified GCQ leaves much to be desired.
Nobody however is openly demanding an end to quarantine measures. Repeat, nobody is asking form a return to pre-COVID crisis lifestyle.
But there are also portion of the city population and throughout the region that wants restriction be made easier. Again, there should be easing of restrictions. Easing, not lifting.
General Santos City, for one, can lead and showcase how this will be done. After all, many local government units took the cue from General Santos City in controlling the spread of disease.
Apart from being one of the earliest LGU to declare a state of calamity, General Santos was the first city to adopt the novel clustering scheme to limit the movement of its residents. It is likewise the first LGU to impose a total lockdown, on April 5. It has since adopted a Sunday lockdown measure.
It is also one of the LGUs that passed an ordinance requiring the wearing of face mask outside of homes, whether in public or private premises.
But as the fight vs. COVID 19 progresses, some successes have also been made.
So is it time to review restrictions under GCQ that may be eased in the new situation, or more particularly in the ‘moderate’ GCQ regime?
Movement can still be controlled by strictly following the number coding scheme both for vehicles and people traffic. In fact a modified and eased vehicular traffic could result into the rationalization of public transport in the city.
The city could not sustain prolonged strict GCQ measures. It will exhaust its savings. It cannot meet its target revenue collections with so many businesses eventually driven out of the local economy.
A number of developments projects will be shelved.
The city will not be able to pump prime the local economy without external support from investors or expansions from existing ones.
But even these will ebb out if not dry up.
Besides, the city will be competing for those precious capital infusions with the rest of 146 cities and 73 provinces nationwide.
Continuing the Sunday lockdowns is an admission of failure, not of strength. Failure to make people understand that somehow we will transition from difficult times to new normal if you must call it. Continuing with restrictions associated with GCQ will further marginalize those who were driven out of work.
The longer this situation continues, the harder it is for businesses to restart, if not open up altogether. Not to mention recover from heavy losses.
I think we have gone over the health security bumps and humps.
People are now conscious and aware.
But we are left far behind in terms of addressing the economic and financial survival and recovery of the people.
Unless government, in our case, the local government unit has already prepared a post-COVID scare reboot, we could be in for a long decline and contraction.
