Palace: Duterte to announce new quarantine classifications; ‘normal’ GCQ likely in NCR Plus

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte will announce new quarantine classifications over several areas in the country on Monday night, Malacañang said, adding that a shift to a “normal” general community quarantine (GCQ) over NCR Plus is likely.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) will meet on Monday afternoon to discuss their recommendations on the new quarantine classifications.

After deciding on the matter, they will then submit their recommendations to the President.

“IATF meet on classification this p.m. PRRd (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) to announce tonight,” Roque said in a text message to INQUIRER.net

NCR Plus, which is composed of Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite and Laguna, was placed under GCQ “with restrictions” starting June 1 until June 15.

Roque said it is unlikely that NCR Plus will be placed under the least restrictive modified GCQ but instead may be placed under “normal GCQ.”

“No po,” he said when asked if he thinks NCR Plus will be placed under MGCQ.

“Normal GCQ siguro because numbers have not gone down to [the] level before entry of new variants,” the Palace official added.

NCR Plus was previously placed under GCQ “with heightened restrictions” from May 15 to May 31 where movement was limited to essential travel and indoor dining services were decreased to 20 percent capacity. Establishments involved in leisure-like venues for meetings were previously also barred from opening.

On Sunday, June 13, the Department of Health logged 7,302 new COVID-19 infections, pushing the active case tally to 59,865 while the nationwide case count to 1,315,639.

The death toll also rose to 22,788 after 137 new fatalities.

JE