Agriculture Secretary William Dar has assured the public that food supply is sufficient for the two-week modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Mega Manila.
“Base sa ating monitoring and analysis of the food supply situation, mayroon po tayong sapat na pagkain from rice, meron ding vegetables, and fruits, at saka chicken ay sobra-sobra po, ganun din ang fisheries (Based on our monitoring and analysis of the food supply situation, we have adequate food supply from rice, vegetables and fruits, and even plenty of chicken, as well as fisheries),” Dar said in a virtual Palace briefing.
“My department would monitor the movement of food and other agricultural goods to ensure that delivery is unhampered.”
The agriculture chief said his department will monitor the movement of food and other agricultural goods to ensure that delivery is unhampered even with the reimposition of a stricter quarantine, particularly the issues regarding checkpoints.
Meanwhile, the agriculture head appealed to local government officials to help ensure the unhampered movement of such goods, as he cited the case in Benguet wherein some cargo trucks carrying vegetable produce were not allowed to pass through checkpoints.
“We should help each other out so that no vegetables would get spoiled and these would reach Metro Manila.”
“Meron akong initial feedback dyan sa Benguet ay may mga byahero na hindi makalusot. So please let us try to help. Dapat po magtulungan po tayo. Sama-sama po tayo dyan para walang mabulok na vegetables galing Benguet at para makarating po dito sa Metro Manila (I received initial feedback from Benguet truck drivers could not pass through [checkpoints]. We should help each other out so that no vegetables would get spoiled and these would reach Metro Manila),” he said.
Mega Manila, which comprises Metro Manila, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, and Bulacan, was again placed under MECQ until August 18 to prevent the collapse of the country’s health care system as nationwide coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases exceeded 100,000.