Police Lieutenant Colonel Jose Joey C. Arandia, Acting Chief of Police, spearheaded the disinfection of Antipolo City Police Station supported by City Health Office of Antipolo City headed by Dr. Concepcion G. Lat on July 14 as part of our prevention in the entry and spread of the Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19).

This is a timely action after President Rodrigo Duterte opted to once again extend the general community quarantine (GCQ) over Rizal Province and Metro Manila until July 31.

This was announced on Wednesday night. The President “agreed” to keep Rizal Province and Metro Manila under GCQ after a “lengthy discussion” with members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) and experts from the University of the Philippines.

The President initially planned to impose the more stringent modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) as proposed by UP scientists to curtail the further spread of the respiratory disease.

However, Duterte changed his mind after Covid-19 response Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año appealed to keep Rizal Province and Metro Manila under GCQ, which has been its status for six weeks, citing the promise of the region’s mayors to implement stricter enforcement of health protocols and quarantine restrictions.

According to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, the country’s case doubling time — or the time it takes for new cases to increase two-fold — is now between 8 to 12 days, way better from the 2.5 days during the initial phase of the pandemic.