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After a two-week timeout for the medical front liners, President Duterte has approved the recommendation to place Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal back under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) starting August 19.

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Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal back to GCQ

In his late-night public address Monday, President Duterte said that the entire country is under Modified GCQ, the most relaxed lockdown level, until the end of the month, except for the following areas that are under GCQ:

1. Metro Manila

2. Bulacan

3. Cavite

4. Laguna

5. Rizal

6. Nueva Ecija

7. Batangas

8. Quezon

9. Iloilo City

10. Cebu City

11. Lapu Lapu City

12. Mandaue City

13. Talisay City

14. Municipality of Minglanilla, Cebu

15. Municipality of Consolacion, Cebu

In his address, President Duterte reminded the public to follow the protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to combat COVID-19.

“Just, as I said, just be careful. Follow the safeguards,” he said.

Meanwhile, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the IATF has set conditions before recommending for the five areas under the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), especially Metro Manila, to be reverted back to GCQ.

“Kinakailangan buksan po natin ang ekonomiya sabay po yung tinatawag nating ‘refresh’ (We need to open the economy alongside what we call ‘refresh’),” he said.

“Ire-refresh po natin ang responses natin sa COVID, kasama na po diyan yung maigting na testing (We will refresh our COVID-19 response efforts, including our intensified testing),” he added.

President Duterte had placed Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal under MECQ from August 4 to 18 after the medical community asked for a “timeout”.

As the MECQ period neared its expiration date, President Duterte expressed unwillingness to extend the strict lockdown in the five areas, saying people needed to work to revive the economy.

Even Dr. Ted Herbosa, a special adviser to the National Task Force against COVID-19, had recommended that Metro Manila revert to GCQ.

*Source: Manila Bulletin