MANILA, Philippines — Non-essential travel is still restricted even if if the areas currently under general community quarantine (GCQ) transition to modified GCQ status, Joint Task Force COVID Shield chief Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said Thursday.
“After GCQ, will be MGCQ and still may community quarantine pa tayo gaya nga ng sinabi ni Interior Secretary Año as long as mayroong quarantine hindi basta basta pwede lumabas,” Eleazar said in a CNN Philippines interview.
(After GCQ will be MGCQ there is still a community quarantine, just like what Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said, as long as there is a quarantine there are still restrictions when it comes to leaving your homes.)
“The point is may restriction pa rin tayo at inaasahan pa rin natin na even though na mas luluwag siya andun pa rin yung protocol na ‘yun,” he added.
(The point is we still have restrictions and we are hoping that even though there are less strict protocols, the rules are still in place.)
Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Pangasinan, Albay, Western Visayas, Cebu City, Mandaue City, and Davao City are under GCQ until June 15.
President Rodrigo Duterte’s meeting with the government’s task force for coronavirus efforts is scheduled on Monday next week which will tackle the fate of coronavirus quarantine in the country.
Eleazar added that there are also existing health protocols even if the coronavirus lockdown is lifted.
“Even after lifted na at tayo ay nasa new normal na – itong minimum requirement wearing of facial mask pati physical distancing– huwag tayo maumay even after lifted na itong community quarantine,” he said.
(Even after the quarantine is lifted and living under the so-called under new normal, we should continue wearing of face mask and observe physical distancing measures.)