The province of Iloilo will no longer appeal the extension of its enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) status until August 7.

Governor Arthur Defensor, in his regular press conference on Thursday, July 29, said cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the province are neither increasing nor decreasing.

“It would be better if we are on ECQ under the same quarantine measures. And besides, as I have explained before the difference between ECQ and MECQ (modified enhanced community quarantine) is not significant,” he said.

He said the province will just continue processing the assistance that is provided by the national government and look for other ways to also provide support to affected residents.

The national government through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will be providing assistance of P1,000 per head for a maximum of four persons or P4,000 for a family.

On Thursday, Defensor signed Executive Order No. 258-A, retaining the ECQ classification of the province until August 7.

“The effectivity of EO 258 for intensified prevention, detection, isolation, treatment and reintegration under ECQ and to implement a Socioeconomic Recovery Plan in the province is hereby extended until 07 August 2021,” the order said.

The governor also signed EO 263-A, closing the borders of the province to non-residents during the ECQ.

Only Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APOR), returning residents, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and Iloilo City and Guimaras residents will be allowed entry to the province.

Returning residents coming from Aklan, Capiz, Antique, Negros Occidental, and Bacolod City will be allowed to enter the province if they are asymptomatic.

Those manifesting symptoms, meanwhile, will undergo quarantine.

Returning residents traveling from outside Western Visayas and OFWs have to comply with requirements for inbound travel, which include a negative result of the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test, among others.

The same will apply to residents of Aklan, Capiz, Antique, Negros Occidental, and Bacolod City and those coming from areas outside Western Visayas.

They also need to present any valid government ID and enroll with the Safe, Swift and Smart Passage (S-PaSS).

Apart from Iloilo province, President Rodrigo Duterte also approved the recommendation of the National Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases also recommended the extension of the ECQ status of Iloilo City.

Mayor Jerry P. Treñas on Thursday said the local government will appeal the extension.PNA