Senatorial candidate and Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero said the national government should leave to local government units (LGUs) the management of alert level classification in their areas of jurisdiction since they are in a better position to assess the situation on the ground.
In an interview on CNN Philippines on Tuesday, Escudero said this function should have been devolved long time ago by the Department of Health (DOH) to LGUs instead of the current practice in which the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) solely determines the COVID-19 national alert level.
“Mas ninanais ko na ibigay na lamang sa mga lokal na pamahalaan, munisipyo, siyudad o probinsiya man ang kapangyarihang idetermina at sabihin kung ano nga ba ang alert level na mananaig sa kani-kanilang lokalidad,” Escudero said, as he welcomed the downgrading of Sorsogon province to Alert Level 1 beginning March, along with Metro Manila and 36 other areas across the country.
“Malamang mas alam ng mga local chief executives kung ano ang sitwasyon talaga sa nagpasya para sa amin kaugnay niyan,” added Escudero, who is seeking a new six-year term in the Senate in the May elections.
The governor pointed out that Sorsogon, which has been on Alert Level 2 for a long time, could have been in the most lenient classification in the five-step pandemic alert level system earlier since COVID-19 infections have been low. Even at the height of the pandemic, more than 50 percent of the province’s barangays were COVID-free, he added.
In the same program, Escudero also proposed that pending action on his call for the LGUs to determine their alert levels, the least that the national government could do is to classify the risk levels on a per province basis, emphasizing that each province has a different COVID-19 case load.
While the National Capital Region’s classification is based on the recommendation of the Metro Manila Council (MMC) composed of the 17 mayors, provinces should be treated separately from each other.
“Sa NCR, dinideklara nila bilang isang lugar, at kami sa Bicol region dinideklara rin nila kami ng alert level bilang isang rehiyon. Napakababa na ng kaso namin sa Sorsogon habang mataas ang kaso sa iba. Hihintayin namin at kailangan naming sumabay sa aming rehiyon,” he lamented.
“Sana pagdating naman sa mga probinsya, kada probinsya sana dapat ang assessment dahil hindi naman tulad ng NCR na tumawid ka lang ng kalye ay nasa San Juan ka na o tumawid ka lang ng kalye nasa Mandaluyong ka na o nasa Quezon City ka na. May mekanismo naman para diyan tulad ng Metro Manila Council na binubuo ng mga mayors na puwede nilang pagpasyahan ang NCR,” he said.
Under Alert Level 1, the IATF allows intrazonal and interzonal travel regardless of age and comorbidities.
Movement of persons regardless of age but with restrictions on crowded and closed spaces and close contact settings, and full capacity in private establishments and government agencies are also allowed, subject to minimum health protocols.
Under Alert Level 2, intrazonal and interzonal movement are permitted, subject to reasonable restrictions that the LGUs may impose. Select establishments or activities are likewise permitted to operate at a maximum of 50 percent indoor capacity for fully vaccinated individuals and 70 percent outdoor capacity.
“Kaya inuulit ko ang aking pakiusap na sana pagpasyahan ng Department of Health at IATF na i-devolve, i-delegate ang kapangyarihang ‘yan na magdetermina ng alert levels sa mga lokal na pamahalaan. Mas maraming best practices akong nakita sa mga probinsya at gayundin sa mga siyudad at munisipyo sa ating bansa na puwede pang pagbunutan ng aral ng IATF at DOH kumpara sa pilit kaming pinapasunod sa ilang kautusan na hindi naman bagay o angkop sa aming lugar,” he said.