Palace: Cabinet proposes implementation of 4-hour curfew by LGUs

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte’s Cabinet has recommended a reduced curfew to only four hours as the country aims to gradually jumpstart the economy amid the pandemic, Malacañang said Wednesday.

From the prevailing policy of 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew hours, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the Cabinet suggested changing it to 12 a.m. to 4 a.m.

“Ang desisyon po ng Gabinete, irekomenda na nga sa lahat ng mga local government units na paikliin na iyong curfew,” Roque said in an interview over state-run People’s Television.

(The Cabinet’s decision is to recommend to local government units to shorten the curfew.)

“Iyan po ay rekomendasyon ng Gabinete, pero siyempre po dahil magpapasa sila ng ordinansa, nasa lokal na pamahalaan po iyan,” he added.

(This is only the recommendation of the Cabinet but of course, it is up to the local government if they will turn this into an ordinance.)

Prior to the Cabinet meeting, San Juan City already shortened its curfew hours from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. to 12 midnight to 5 a.m.

Apart from the decreased curfew, the Cabinet had also approved a one-seat-apart rule in public transportation and expanding the age group allowed to go out of their homes during community quarantine.

KGA