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Lawmakers reject calls to place Metro Manila under lockdown

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ABS-CBN News

MANILA - Some members of the House of Representatives frowned at calls to place Metro Manila under lockdown, amid the rapid rise of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines.Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo said Wednesday this is not yet the time for any lockdown, citing Health Secretary Francisco Duque III&#x27;s earlier statement that it is premature for authorities to bar citizens from entering and leaving Metro Manila.&quot;According to Secretary Duque, there must be sustained human-to-human transmission before we impose a lockdown. So ngayon po, maliwanag naman po, na hindi pa panahon para mag-lockdown,&quot; the lawmaker said.Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin, the country&#x27;s health secretary during the Aquino administration, said lockdowns are done when there is a solution to the problem.”&#x27;Pag mag-lockdown tayo, ang ibig sabihin meron kang solusyon. Eh kung maglala-lockdown pero &#x27;di mo naman alam ano gagawin napakahirap mag-lock down ng isa&#x27;t kalahating taon,&quot; she said.She added: &quot;A temporary lockdown will not solve the problem dahil sinasabi nga natin &#x27;wag magpanic. We are seeing the evolution of a new virus.”Garin explained that China handed out subsidies to affected workers when its government ordered a lockdown in Hubei province, where the virus&#x27; outbreak started.“Sa China, immediately upon deciding they will have a lockdown their government, subsidized the salaries of all those who will be affected. Nagrelease sila. Tayo, di natin kaya yun,&quot; she said.Earlier in the day, the Philippines confirmed 16 new cases of COVID-19, one of whom passed away in a Manila hospital. She was the second fatality in the Philippines, but the country&#x27;s first Filipino death.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/11/20/doh-confirms-filipinas-death-in-manila-due-to-covid-19">DOH confirms Filipina&#x27;s death in Manila due to COVID-19</a></li></ul>President Rodrigo Duterte earlier suspended classes in all levels in Metro Manila from March 10 to March 14. Before that, he placed the country under a state of health emergency after cases of the virus rose rapidly.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/09/20/duterte-suspends-classes-in-metro-manila-from-march-10-to-14">Duterte suspends Metro Manila classes from March 10-14 amid COVID-19 threat</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/09/20/duterte-declares-state-of-public-health-emergency-philippines-due-to-coronavirus">Philippines declares state of public health emergency due to coronavirus</a></li></ul><div>--Report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News</div>

Some members of the House of Representatives frowned at calls to place Metro Manila under lockdown, amid the rapid rise of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines.

Some members of the House of Representatives frowned at calls to place Metro Manila under lockdown, amid the rapid rise of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines.