Quarantine rules eased; modified ECQ declared in Metro Manila, Laguna and Cebu City

PRESIDENT Duterte has decided to put Metro Manila, Laguna and Cebu City under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from May 16 to 31 and approved recommendations to relax quarantine regulations in areas that are now considered moderate and low-risk areas.

The announcement was made by presidential spokesman Harry Roque on Tuesday after the President approved Resolution 35 issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

The President, in a public address taped during the IATF meeting in Malacañang on Monday night but released only on Tuesday morning, said he was deciding on the side of caution in retaining the lockdown in some areas and easing it in others.

“Dahan-dahan lang sa ngayon para walang ano, hindi tayo madapa. Dahan-dahan lang (We are doing gradually so we do not fall). Because we cannot afford a second or third wave,” Duterte said.

He added that the gradual easing of the lockdown and lifting the restrictions in some areas do not mean that the COVID-19 pandemic in the country has been wiped out.

He reminded everyone that the coronavirus remains lethal and called on the public to continue to observe the minimum health standards or protocols, like the wearing of face masks, physical distancing, and hand washing.

MECQ

Roque and Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the decision to lift or relax quarantine restrictions in other provinces in Luzon and put Metro Manila, Laguna and Cebu City under modified quarantine was based on economy and science, the number of confirmed COVID cases, the speed of transmission in the areas, and the capability of their health care systems to take care of patients.

Roque said the IATF is monitoring the COVID-19 situation in Angeles City, Davao City, Cavite, and Davao de Oro and will review until May 14 if they will remain in the general community quarantine category or be included in the MECQ category.

Roque said that under a modified ECQ, the following will be observed in Metro Manila, Laguna and Cebu City:

• Limited movement of people to enable them access to essential works and services.
• Reopening of select industries at 50 percent capacity. The list of the industries will be finalized by the task force by Wednesday.
• Limited public transportation.
• No face-to-face classes allowed.

Roque said barangays with critical or containment zones located in MECQ areas will be placed under strict quarantine regulations. The areas will be identified by local government units in coordination with regional IATFs.

  MEDIUM-RISK AREAS UNDER GCQ

Roque announced that other areas in Luzon that have been under ECQ since March will be under general community quarantine (GCQ) from May 16 to May 31.

These are:

• Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) — Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province and Baguio City
• Region II (Cagayan Valley) — Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and Santiago City
• Regional III (Central Luzon) — Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales and Olongapo City
• Region IV-A (Calabarzon) — Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, and Lucena City.
  
• Region VII (Central Visayas) — Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City
  
• Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula) — Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga City and Isabela City
• Region XI (Davao Region) — Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental and Davao Oriental, and;
• Region XIII (Caraga) — Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Butuan City
  LOW-RISK AREAS

Roque said several provinces have been classified as “low-risk areas” and will no longer be subject to community quarantine regulations.

The Luzon regions and provinces include the following:

• Region 1 (Ilocos) – Ilocos Sur only
• Region IV-B (Mimaropa) — Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Palawan, Puerto Princesa City
• Region V (Bicol) — Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, Naga City

Roque said the provinces of Ilocos Norte, La Union, Pangasinan and Albay, and the cities of Dagupan and Legazpi have been classified as low risk areas but are still subject to further review until May 14 to determine if they should be reclassified as moderate risk areas and be placed under GCQ.

In the Visayas, classified as low-risk areas are:

• Region VI (Western Visayas) — Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, and the cities of Iloilo and Bacolod
• Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) — Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Western Samar, Southern Leyte and the cities of Ormoc and Tacloban
  

In Mindanao, classified as low-risk areas are:

• Region X (Northern Mindanao) — Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao Del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis, Oriental and the city of Cagayan De Oro
• Region XII (Soccsksargen) — North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat and the city of General Santos, and
• Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) — Basilan, Lanao Del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Cotabato City.
  

Roque said even while these provinces and cities are not under any quarantine regulations, residents are required to follow minimum health standards, such as the wearing of face masks and observance of social distancing.

Roque said the provinces and cities in the different classifications have until May 13 to file an appeal with the IATF Screening and Validation Committee if they are not satisfied with the decision.

On March 8, President Duterte declared a state of public health emergency over the Philippines to address the COVID-19 crisis and placed the entire Luzon under ECQ effective March 17 until April 15. This was extended to April 30, and later to May 15.

BOUNCEBACK PLANS

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the economic team is still finalizing a bounce-back plan following a slump in the economy as a result of the pandemic.

He said to revive the economy, the country should “restart and accelerate the Build, Build, Build Program subject to compliance of minimum health standards,” generate more jobs including hiring those who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 to do the contact-tracing work to offset the 1.2 million to 1.5 million job loss, and pass the CITIRA or Package 2 of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program to attract investors who want to relocate from other countries, and stimulate consumer demand.

Dominguez said the economic team is also preparing an economic package to help micro, small, and medium enterprises, get back on their feet.

The country posted a 0.2 percent growth in the first quarter of 2020, the lowest since 1988.