Moderate-risk areas for coronavirus transmission still under GCQ starting May 16

MANILA, Philippines — Several regions that are considered moderate risk for the coronavirus transmission will remain under a general community quarantine starting May 16, Malacañang said Tuesday.

The following regions will be placed under GCQ from May 16, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online press briefing:

CAR

• Abra
• Apayao
• Benguet
• Ifugao
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Baguio City

Region II

• Batanes
• Cagayan
• Isabela
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino
• Santiago City

Region III

• Aurora
• Bataan
• Bulacan
• Nueva Ecija
• Pampanga
• Tarlac
• Zambales
• Angeles City*
• Olongapo City

Region IV-A

• Cavite*
• Quezon
• Rizal
• Batangas City
• Lucena City

Region VII

• Bohol
• Cebu
• Negros Oriental
• Siquijor
• Mandaue City
• Lapu-Lapu City

Region IX

• Zamboanga del Norte
• Zamboanga del Sur
• Zamboanga Sibugay
• Zamboanga City
• Isabela City

Region XI

• Davao City*
• Davao de Oro*
• Davao del Norte
• Davao del Sur
• Davao Occidental
• Davao Oriental

Region XIII

• Agusan del Norte
• Agusan del Sur
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte
• Surigao del Sur
• Butuan City

(*Recommendations assuming similar risk classification prevails on May 14, 2020.)

Under GCQ, businesses may resume partial operations excluding those that are involved in leisure and entertainment.

According to Department of Health (DOH) spokesperson Usec. Maria Rosario Vergeire, monitoring of minimum health standards must be done even in areas under GCQ.

This includes putting up controls in work places and establishments that will help the public observe physical distancing.

“This is on the phase of mitigation. We have to monitor enforcement of minimum health standards for moderate risk at kailangan po nagkakaroon na ng enabling environment ang mga settings natin,” Vergeire explained during the same briefing.

(This is in the phase of mitigation. We have to monitor enforcement of minimum health standards for moderate risk and we need to have an enabling environment for our settings.)

“Katulad po sa work places, naglalagay po ng administrative control katulad ng mga alternative working arrangements like working from home or may scheduling po ng pagpasok sa trabaho. These are forms of risk controls na puwede nating gamitin para maipatupad po natin ang health standards natin,” she added.

(In work places, administrative controls are set in place like alternative working arrangements such as working from home or scheduled work. These are forms of risk controls that we can implement to apply the health standards.)

Under GCQ, businesses may resume partial operations  excluding those that are involved in leisure and entertainment.

As of Monday, there are 11,086 confirmed COVID-19 cases nationwide with 726 deaths and 1,999 recoveries.

JPV