10 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew in Metro Manila to stay — MMDA

MANILA, Philippines — The curfew hours of 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. being enforced in Metro Manila will remain after the mayors of Metro Manila have agreed to retain it, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benhur Abalos Jr. said Thursday.

Abalos said that the local chief executives of Metro Manila decided on Wednesday to maintain the current curfew hours in the metropolis.

“’Yung ating curfew na 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. ay minabuti na rin ng ating mga alkalde na ipanatili, status quo pa rin muna, na huwag na rin muna galawin ang ating curfew,’ he said in a Palace briefing.

(The mayors have agreed to maintain the status quo and retain the curfew hours.)

Abalos will be attending a meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) on Thursday to discuss the quarantine classifications across the country in June.

Abalos said the Metro Manila Council (MMC), composed of Metro Manila’s mayors, recommends a slow and gradual reopening of the economy.

“Ang kanilang pananaw ay slowly but surely ang pagbubukas sa negosyo. More businesses, activities, taasan ang capacity pero dahan dahan. ‘Yan ang napag-usapan ng mga alkalde,” he said in the same briefing.

(They think the opening of businesses should be done slowly but surely. More businesses, activities, increased capacities but slowly and gradually.)

The Metro Manila mayors are leaving it up to the Department of Trade and Industry and to the Department of Tourism to determine what businesses and activities will be allowed to open, Abalos said.

Metro Manila is currently under general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions until May 31.

/MUF