(CNN Philippines, April 6) - Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno rejected the appeal of a number of medical groups to impose travel restrictions amid the coronavirus crisis.

Moreno said declaring an enhanced community quarantine will "lead to greater disruption of the people."

"While I agree to virtually all of the points and suggestions you have raised in your aforesaid letters, and am very appreciative of your desire to help, I must, however, advise you that under the IATF (Inter Agency Task Force) guidelines, local government units shall abide by the directives of the Department of Health and the Department of the Interior and Local Government in the imposition of general and enhanced community quarantine in their respective jurisdictions,” Moreno said in his reply.

The mayor added that there is no need for a lockdown as "the repercussions of which would bring serious irreparable damage."

“I am sure you are all aware of what is happening now in Metro Manila and even in many parts of Luzon and I hope we can even have a glimpse of the severe economic impact that has resulted to these areas,” said Moreno.

Despite this, Moreno said the city government is committed to save lives.

In a letter to Moreno, the Misamis Oriental Medical Society and other medical groups said a lockdown will help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

"We believe that more could be done to stem the tide of the Covid-19 in Cagayan de Oro City and Misamis Oriental,” the doctors said. “The pandemic has not peaked locally and we are apprehensive that our preparations are not enough if the surge is to come down on us in two to three weeks.”

The medical groups also asked the city government to establish more quarantine centers for those with mild symptoms.

Signatories to the appeal were officials of the Philippine Pediatric Society, Philippine Academy of Family Physicians, Philippine College of Radiology, Philippine College of Physicians, Philippine Society of Pathology, Philippine Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Philippine College of Surgeons, Philippine Society of Anesthesia.

CNN Philippines’ stringer Alwen Saliring contributed to this report