President Rodrigo Duterte would consult Health officials and other experts in deciding whether to lift the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in the National Capital Region and other areas, Malacañang said on Monday.

“IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Energy Infectious Diseases) naman po ang nagdi-desisyon diyan ‘no at alam niyo naman po ang Presidente na kino-konsulta ang lahat, ang DoH (Department of Health) at ang iba pang mga dalubhasa, mga doktor na respetado (The IATF will decide and you know that the President consults all experts, including respected doctors),” Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said.

The Palace on Thursday said the country was on the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections, countering the statement of Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd that the country was seeing its second wave of infections.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Monday said he supports the plan to reopen businesses on a limited scale so long as physical distancing and other protocols are strictly observed.

“It is wise for our policy makers to ease up the restrictions currently being imposed,” the senator said, adding that “the economy is reeling from a prolonged lockdown.”

Lacson noted that the lockdown also affected revenue collections.

“Having said that, I hope the finer details of the decision to ease the quarantine restrictions would be based on sound data and not just that of the Department of Health, whose limitations in handling data may potentially lead to wrong decisions. After all, we all do want to stay alive even during a lockdown,” he said.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said the government’s plan to shift from moderate to general community quarantine on June 1 must be based on science.

“The number of cases may not be doubling but it is still increasing,” he added.

“It just breached 14,000 yesterday (May 24) and another 6,000 who tested positive remain to be validated. They may be silent carriers who unknowingly spread the virus. Where are they?” Drilon asked.

“The confidence of our people on the handling of Covid-19 has eroded because of the lapses of the DoH, primarily by Secretary Duque and the violations committed by the implementors of the lockdown,” he continued.