MECQ in NCR Plus extended until May 14

In this photo taken on September 8, 2020, passengers wearing face shields have their temperature taken before boarding a bus in Manila. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — The so-called NCR Plus will remain under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until May 14, President Rodrigo Duterte announced Wednesday.

The President heeded the recommendation of experts and the Department of Health to keep Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite and Laguna under MECQ to decongest hospitals.

In a pre-recorded briefing, Duterte said Santiago City in Quirino province and Abra province will also be under MECQ starting May 1.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, in a separate statement, clarified these two areas will be under MECQ “for the whole month of May 2021.”

Meanwhile, the following areas will be under general community quarantine from May 1 to May 31, 2021:

Cordillera Administrative Region

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

Region 2

• Cagayan
• Isabela
• Nueva Vizcaya

Region 4A

• Batangas
• Quezon

Region 8

• Tacloban

Region 10

• Iligan City

Region 11

• Davao City

BARMM

• Lanao del Sur

All other areas not mentioned are under the most lenient modified general community quarantine.

“This new community quarantine classification is subject to the appeals of the local government units,” Roque said.

NCR Plus already underwent a two-week enhanced community quarantine from March 29 until April 11. It was later downgraded to MECQ from April 12 to April 30.

READ: OCTA: Virus spread slows, but not enough to ease NCR Plus curbs