Metro Manila, Cebu City, and Laguna province will be placed under the “modified” version of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) after May 15, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque announced today in a virtual presser.
Under the modified ECQ, public transportation will be allowed to resume, but only in a limited capacity. A few manufacturing and processing businesses will be allowed to re-open, but only half of their manpower can work.
Residents will be allowed to leave their homes but only for work or to purchase essential goods. Face-to-face classes will remain suspended. The modified ECQ is expected to end on May 31.
More than half of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines are in Metro Manila. However, Cebu City is the city with the most number of cases in the country.
In addition, regions classified as “moderate risk” will be under the general community quarantine (GCQ) after May 15. These are Region II, III, IV-A (except Laguna), VII (except Cebu City), IX, XI, XIII, and the Cordillera Administrative Region. Under a GCQ, industries such as agriculture, fisheries, food manufacturing, supermarkets, banks, and media can fully operate. Hardware stores, salons, and spans can re-open in malls. However, the re-opening of gyms, bars, and pubs will be forbidden. The GCQ is scheduled to end on May 31.
Religious and political gatherings will also not be allowed. However, the Catholic Church is appealing to the government to allow them to resume their services.
Read: PH Catholic Church pushes for resumption of masses during general community quarantine
Roque reminded Filipinos that the coronavirus could still easily spread within GCQ areas.
“We need to be careful because when a place is downgraded from ECQ to GCQ, there is still the threat [of the virus] but it’s not as worrying as it used to be. But a GCQ means the situation is still critical,” the spokesman said in English and Filipino.
“We can not go back to normal while there is still no vaccine, while there is still no treatment against COVID-19. If we insist on ignoring COVID-19, that may lead to the loss of lives,” he added.
Meanwhile, some areas will not be under a GCQ or ECQ, which means residents there can go back to work, regardless of industry, and all stores and establishments are allowed to reopen. These are Regions I, IV-B, V, VI, VIII, X, XII, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.
The Philippines currently has 11,086 reported COVID-19 cases, with 726 deaths and 1,999 recoveries.
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