Parts of the Philippines might partially reopen to allow some businesses to operate, President Rodrigo Duterte announced last night in a televised broadcast.
Duterte said in English and Filipino, “Some [countries] are still in lockdown [but] we might open partially. Construction worker (sic), things like that. It will come out. Our quarantine will be modified. We might allow sectors of society [to operate], those with people who don’t work closely together.”
Read: BREAKING: ‘Enhanced community quarantine’ extended in Metro Manila, other high-risk areas
“That’s why we will go for modified [quarantine]. If the LRT [trains] become crowded, our problems will never end. It will never end and it will bring us down and down,” Duterte said, but did not elaborate which areas in the country will be partially opened.
The president has extended the enhanced community quarantine over Metro Manila—which has the highest number of COVID-19 cases— and other areas up to May 15. Meanwhile, a general community quarantine (GCQ) will be implemented starting May 1 on areas that have few coronavirus cases, such as Ilocos Sur, Palawan, Camiguin, and Basilan.
In a GCQ, certain businesses will be allowed to fully operate, such as agriculture, fisheries, food manufacturing, food retail, logistics, and media. Companies involved in electronics, e-commerce, repair and maintenance, housing, and office services may operate partially or fully. Financial services and business process outsourcing companies can operate but half of their staff should be working from home.
Public transportation can operate partially under a GCQ.
As of yesterday, the Philippine has 7,777 reported COVID-19 cases, with 932 recoveries and 511 deaths.
