BREAKING: Govt recalls lifting of coronavirus lockdown in low-risk areas

MANILA, Philippines — The government has recalled the lifting of community quarantines in several areas across the country that have “low risk” to coronavirus infection.

According to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, an amendment on the resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) enforcing different types of lockdown in all areas in the county would be made on Wednesday.

Año said the so-called “low-risk” areas would be placed under modified general community quarantine (GCQ).

“Wala na po tayong areas sa buong Pilipinas na hindi under ng community quarantine. Iba-iba lang po ng level,” Año said in a televised press briefing.

Malacañang announced Tuesday that President Duterte has approved the proposal of the IATF to lift the movement restrictions in 40 provinces and 11 cities nationwide starting May 16.

Areas under moderate risk would be placed under a general community quarantine, while Metro Manila, Cebu City, and Laguna province, which are considered high-risk areas due to the high concentration of COVID-19 cases, would be placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Año, vice-chair of the government’s National Task Force in charge of implementing measures to contain the novel coronavirus, said that the decision was made after some local chief executives appealed that they are not yet ready to lift the lockdown in their jurisdictions.

However, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said the signing of the resolution was an “honest mistake” and that he agreed to affix his signature as he was told that the resolution will not identify the areas where the community quarantines would be lifted.

Duque, chair of the IATF, signed the resolution together with Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, the task force’s co-chair.

READ: Approved IATF resolution placing Metro Manila, Laguna province, and Cebu City under modified ECQ. @inquirerdotnet

READ: https://t.co/bNTw6LXLuP pic.twitter.com/to9gOpRpNE

— Darryl John Esguerra (@drrylesguerra) May 12, 2020

The following are the areas the government earlier classified as “low-risk”:

REGION I
Ilocos Norte*
Ilocos Sur
La Union*
Pangasinan*
Dagupan City*

Region IV-B
Marinduque
Occidental Mindoro
Oriental Mindoro
Romblon
Palawan
Puerto Princesa City

Region V
Albay*
Camarines Norte
Camarines Sur
Catanduanes
Masbate
Sorsogon
Legazpi City*
Naga City

Region VI
Aklan
Antique
Capiz
Guimaras
Iloilo
Negros Occidental
Iloilo City
Bacolod City

Region VIII
Biliran
Eastern Samar
Leyte Northern Samar
Western Samar
Southern Leyte
Ormoc City
Tacloban City

Region X
Bukidnon
Camiguin
Lanao del Norte
Misamis Occidental
Misamis Oriental
Cagayan de Oro City

Region XII
North Cotabato
South Cotabato
Sarangani
Sultan Kudarat
General Santos City

BARMM
Basilan
Lanao del Sur
Maguindanao
Sulu
Tawi-Tawi
Cotabato City

(*Recommendations assuming similar risk classification prevails on May 14, 2020.)

EDV