MALACAÑANG yesterday reminded the public to strictly follow the restrictions attached to the community quarantine classifications ordered by President Duterte on Monday night to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The President, during his weekly Talk to the People, extended until June 30 the general community quarantine (GCQ) with restrictions classification of Metro Manila and Bulacan, while Cavite, Laguna and Rizal will be under GCQ with heightened restrictions.
On the other hand, Baguio City, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Abra, Benguet, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Batangas, Quezon, Iligan City, Davao del Norte, General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Cotabato, South Cotabato, Lanao del Sur and Cotabato City are under regular GCQ until the end of the month.
Under the stricter modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) category are the cities of Santiago, Lucena, Puerto Princesa, Naga, Iloilo, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and Butuan; and the provinces of Cagayan, Apayao, Ifugao, Bataan, Iloilo, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Sur.
The rest of the country are under the least strict modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the following are allowed in areas under GCQ with restrictions: gyms and indoor contact sports venues up to 20 percent capacity which may be increased to 30 percent once they obtain a safety seal, indoor tourist attractions and venues for meetings and conferences up to 30 percent capacity which may be increased to 40 percent with a safety seal, outdoor tourist attractions up to 50 percent capacity, personal care services such as parlors, salons, barber shops and beauty clinics up to 50 percent capacity for services that does not require the removal of face masks and which may be increased to 60 percent if they have a safety seal; indoor dining up to 40 percent capacity or up to 50 percent with a safety seal, and religious activities up to 30 percent capacity upgradeable to 50 percent depending on ordinances of local government units (LGUs).
For areas under the GCQ with heightened restrictions grouping, Roque said the following are allowed: outdoor tourist attractions up to 30 percent capacity, personal care services such as parlors, salons, barber shops and beauty clinics up to 30 percent capacity for services that do not require the removal of face masks which may be increased to 40 percent once a safety seal is obtained, indoor dining up to 20 percent capacity which may be increased to 30 percent for establishments with a safety seal, and religious activities up to 10 percent capacity which may be increased to 30 percent by the LGUs.
The operation of gyms, indoor contact sports venues, indoor tourist attractions, and venues for meetings and conferences are prohibited in areas under GCQ with heightened restrictions.
Roque said staycations, without age limit but subject to safety protocols, are allowed in areas under both GCQ with restrictions and GCQ with heightened restrictions. Interzonal and intrazonal travels, also subject to LGU restrictions and testing before travel, are allowed.
For areas under the regular GCQ classification, the following establishments are allowed to operate up to 50 percent capacity: indoor sports venues, indoor and outdoor tourist attractions, museums, libraries, archives, galleries, personal care services (beauty salons, barber shops, nail spas), and venues for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions or MICE.
Roque said that under MECQ, among the activities and industries allowed include al fresco or outdoor dining up to 50 percent capacity, individual outdoor sports such as walking, jogging, running or biking; and religious gatherings of up to 10 percent which may be increased to 30 percent by the LGU.
TRAVEL BAN
The President, on Monday night, likewise extended the ban on travelers coming from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, and Oman until June 30.
This is the second time that the government extended the travel restrictions on the seven countries to safeguard against the spread of the deadly coronavirus variant first detected in India.
The government first imposed the travel restrictions on India from April 29 to May 14; on Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka were later added to the travel ban list from May 7 to May 14; on Oman and the United Arab Emirates from May 15 to May 31.
Meanwhile, President Duterte also ordered police and local government units to arrest travelers, especially those visiting tourist spots, who present fake test results so they will be allowed to enter the LGUs.
“I am also directing the DOT, PNP and all LGUs to arrest those presenting fake test results and enforce strict compliance of protocols of local tourism. Do not be afraid to file sanctions,” the President said.
He said he has received reports that some travelers in several locations in the country, especially in Boracay, have been presenting fake test results to circumvent travel restrictions.
The President likewise reminded organizers of community pantries to ensure compliance to health protocols to prevent super-spreader events.
“While we have the best of intentions… we must ensure that these activities will not go out of control and become super spreader events,” Duterte said recalling an event in May in Barangay Matandang Balara in Quezon City where 86 of the 900 attendees tested positive for COVID-19.
He said that while he saluted the people behind such events, “they are ignorant of the prohibition imposed by law, not by me.”
“If it’s a matter of assessing whether or not you are doing good, you are doing super good,” he said, warning that if people will continuously flock to community pantries and disregarded the protocols, transmission of COVID-19 will continue and the pandemic will not end.
As this developed, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año reported that over 57,000 individuals have been arrested for violating minimum health standards during the period of June 7 to 13.
Año said 51,607 were caught for not wearing face masks, 426 for mass gathering, and 5,576 for failing to observe physical distancing.
