NCR Plus under GCQ with heightened restrictions Aug. 1-15, Iloilo under ECQ until Aug. 7

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila and its four adjacent provinces — also known as the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus — will be under general community quarantine (GCQ) “with heightened restrictions” from Aug. 1 to 15 and Iloilo province and three cities outside Luzon will still be under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) until Aug. 7, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announced early Thursday morning.

According to him, President Rodrigo Duterte approved the quarantine classifications recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) for August.

Iloilo province, Iloilo City,  Cagayan de Oro City, and Gingoog — all of which have been under ECQ, the strictest classification, since July 16 — will retain their status until Aug. 7.

Meanwhile, the following areas will be placed under a looser modified ECQ (MECQ) from Aug. 1 to 15:

• Ilocos Norte
• Bataan
• Lapu-Lapu City
• Mandaue City

Metro Manila, also known as the NCR, will retain its GCQ with heightened restrictions status while Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan, and Rizal will be upgraded to the same status.

Other areas under GCQ with heightened restrictions are:

• Ilocos Sur
• Cagayan
• Lucena City
• Naga City
• Antique
• Aklan
• Bacolod City
• Capiz
• Negros Oriental
• Zamboanga del Sur
• Misamis Oriental
• Davao City
• Davao del Norte
• Davao de Oro
• Davao Occidental
• Butuan City

The following areas will be under GCQ for the whole of August:

• Baguio City
• Apayao
• Santiago City
• Isabela
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino
• Quezon
• Batangas
• Puerto Princesa
• Guimaras
• Negros Occidental
• Zamboanga Sibugay
• Zamboanga City
• Zamboanga del Norte
• Davao Oriental
• Davao del Sur
• General Santos City
• Sultan Kudarat
• Sarangani
• North Cotabato
• South Cotabato
• Agusan del Norte
• Surigao del Norte
• Agusan del Sur
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Sur
• Cotabato City

Roque said all other areas not mentioned would be placed under the most permissive modified GCQ from Aug. 1 to 31.

He added that the quarantine classifications would still subject to the appeals of local government units.

Metro Manila mayors have been seeking a stricter quarantine classification in light of the looming spread of the highly contagious COVID-19 variant, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Benhur Abalos said Wednesday.

He added local chief executives expressed readiness if ever Metro Manila would be placed under the most restrictive ECQ, provided that the national government would have funds for financial aid.

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