A health employee of the Pagadian City government swabs a passenger from Manila on April 7 for coronavirus disease testing before entering the city. The test is provided free by the local government. LEAH D. AGONOY/ INQUIRER MINDANAO
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the COVID-19 task force’s recommendation to maintain the general community quarantine (GCQ) status over the so-called NCR Plus and place several areas under the stricter modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
In a message to reporters on Tuesday, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte already approved the recommendations presented in the chief executive’s “Talk to the People” aired Monday night.
From July 1 to July 15, Metro Manila, Rizal, and Bulacan are under GCQ “with some restrictions” while Laguna and Cavite are under GCQ “with heightened restrictions.” These areas make up the NCR Plus.
Other areas under GCQ for the entire month of July are the following:
Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)
Baguio City
Ifugao
Cagayan Region (Region 2)
Santiago City
Isabela
Nueva Vizcaya
Quirino
Calabarzon (Region 4A)
Batangas
Quezon
Western Visayas (Region 6)
Guimaras
Aklan
Bacolod City
Negros Occidental
Antique
Capiz
Northern Mindanao (Region 10)
Iligan City
Soccsksargen (Region 12)
General Santos City
Sultan Kudarat
Sarangani
Cotabato
South Cotabato
Caraga
Agusan del Norte
Surigao del Norte
Agusan del Sur
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)
Cotabato City
Meanwhile, the following areas are under the stricter MECQ from July 1 to July 15, 2021:
Cagayan Region (Region 2)
Cagayan
Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)
Apayao
Central Luzon (Region 3)
Bataan
Calabarzon (Region 4A)
Lucena City
Mimaropa (Region 4B)
Puerto Princesa
Bicol Region (Region 5)
Naga City
Western Visayas (Region 6)
Iloilo City, Iloilo
Central Visayas (Region 7)
Negros Oriental
Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 8)
Zamboanga del Sur
Zamboanga del Norte
Northern Mindanao (Region 10)
Cagayan de Oro City
Davao Region (Region 11)
Davao City
Davao Oriental
Davao Occidental
Davao de Oro
Davao del Sur
Davao del Norte
Caraga
Butuan City
Dinagat Islands
Surigao del Sur
The rest of the country will be under the most lenient modified general community quarantine for the entire month of July.