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Villar tells health frontliners calling for ECQ: No to lockdown, just work hard

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/08/01/20190903-senate-hearing-rice-tariff-villar-jc-9809.jpg"/><figcaption>Sen. Cynthia Villar, whose family owns businesses in Metro Manila, urged medical workers to step up in a time of crisis. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/file</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA (UPDATE) - Sen. Cynthia Villar said Saturday Metro Manila could not go through another severe lockdown despite a recent swell in COVID-19 cases in the National Capital Region, and medical workers calling for it.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/01/20/philippines-covid19-cases-coronavirus-update-august012020">Philippines sees record new COVID-19 cases for 3rd straight day</a></li></ul>&quot;Hindi natin pwedeng isara ang ekonomiya, kailangan pag-igihin ng (Department of Health) at iba pang agency ang kanilang hakbang,&quot; Villar said in an interview on radio station DWIZ, a transcript of which was sent by her office to the media.&quot;Kapag lockdown kasi magsa-suffer ang ekonomiya. I guess we have to live with COVID 19.&quot;<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/01/20/exhausted-health-workers-want-breathing-space-seek-metro-manilas-return-to-ecq">Exhausted health workers want &#x27;breathing space&#x27;, seek Metro Manila&#x27;s return to ECQ</a></li></ul>The senator was reacting to the local medical community&#x27;s appeal to shift Metro Manila back to stricter lockdown measures, as health frontliners reported &quot;waging a losing battle against COVID-19.&quot;Villar, whose family owns businesses in Metro Manila, urged medical workers to step up in a time of crisis.&quot;Hindi na siguro (babalik sa ECQ), pagbutihin nila trabaho nila. Hindi pwedeng isara ang ekonomiya kasi kung &#x27;di naman mamamatay sa COVID, mamamatay naman sa gutom ang tao,&quot; she said.&quot;May time in our lives na ikaw talaga ang mapapagod. Iba-iba naman ang kalamidad. So itong kalamidad na ito ang mapapagod dito ang health frontliners natin. Iba iba &#x27;yan, but I guess we need to work hard.&quot;For the lawmaker, the coronavirus pandemic shed light on the country&#x27;s weak health-care system.&quot;I think ngayon lang natin nakita na ang ating health facilities di maganda. So in the coming years, improve natin health facilities and services,&quot; she said.Villar, who served as congresswoman of Las Piñas City from 2001 to 2010, said she would earmark funds to improve the city&#x27;s hospital.&quot; &#x27;Yung budget ko ngayon, ia-allocate ko ngayon sa pagpapalaki ng ospital namin sa Las Piñas from 200 to 500 beds,&quot; she said.The congressional post, which has been with the family since 1987, is now <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/14/19/villar-aguilar-families-cement-grip-in-las-pias-after-sweeping-midterm-polls">occupied by her daughter Camille</a>.In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Villar Foundation, which she founded in 1992, is distributing seeds and fertilizers to the public for urban gardening.&quot;Kasi kung may tanim, di tayo magugutom. Kahit na wala tayong pera, may pagkain tayo,&quot; said Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/01/20/duterte-directs-iatf-to-act-on-medical-communitys-call-for-metro-manilas-return-to-ecq-roque">Duterte directs IATF to act on medical community&#x27;s call for ECQ in Metro Manila - Roque</a></li></ul>In a statement Saturday afternoon, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the President had directed the Inter-Agency Task Force to take action on the medical groups&#x27; concerns.&quot;President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has heard the concerns of the medical community and the Chief Executive has directed the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to act on these concerns immediately,&quot; he said.The Palace values the health care workers&#x27; service as frontliners in the fight against COVID-19, Roque said.&quot;We are grateful for their immense contributions to heal our people and our nation during these difficult times,&quot; he said.&quot;Your voices have been heard. We cannot afford to let down our modern heroes. This is our commitment.&quot;

Senator Cynthia Villar on Saturday said Metro Manila cannot go through another severe lockdown despite a recent swell in novel coronavirus 2019 cases in the NCR.

Senator Cynthia Villar on Saturday said Metro Manila cannot go through another severe lockdown despite a recent swell in novel coronavirus 2019 cases in the NCR.