More areas in PH placed under stricter lockdown

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang placed more areas in the country under the stricter general community quarantine (GCQ) on Saturday from the more relaxed version of the COVID-19 pandemic containment measure until the end of the month.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the GCQ currently in Batangas province, Cebu City, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Talisay City, and the municipalities of Minglanilla and Consolacion in Cebu province would be extended up to Aug. 31.

Moving to GCQ from modified GCQ starting Aug. 16 are Nueva Ecija, Quezon Province and Iloilo City, he said.

Metro fate known on Monday

The President will announce on Monday whether he would change the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) status of Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal and Laguna, said Roque.

The MECQ is the strictest level currently in force, and was imposed on the national capital and nearby provinces in response to an appeal from medical groups for a “time out” as COVID-19 cases continued to rise in the country, especially in the Mega Manila area.

The rest of the country would be under modified general community quarantine, the least restrictive quarantine level.

IATF recommendations

President Duterte approved the adjustments in the quarantine restrictions recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), which based its decision on the epidemic risk level, the economic, social and security considerations, and the appeals and commitment of local governments, according to Roque.

He said the National Task Force on COVID-19 and the Department of the Interior and Local Government were directed to ensure that localized, or “granular” lockdowns, would be imposed on areas with a high number of COVID-19 cases.

The Philippines recorded 157,918 COVID-19 cases and 2,600 deaths on Saturday.