METRO MANILA UNDER GCQ (FILE PHOTO)

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday approves the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task force on COVID-19 placing the entire Metro Manila under the general community quarantine (GCQ) starting September 8 (Wednesday) until the end of the month. While 10 areas remain under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) during the same period.

“Magkakaroon po ng pilot dito sa Metro Manila at ito po ‘yong tinatawag nating localized lockdowns,” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said of planned measures to be adopted during the GCQ imposition.

Earlier, independent research group (OCTA) recommended to the government an additional 2 weeks MECQ extension to further slowdown the transmission of COVID-19 virulent DELTA variant.

The government said agencies have agreed to replace region or province-wide quarantine restrictions with localized lockdowns, that may be limited to certain houses, streets, or villages.

Authorized persons outside their residence (APORs) will be allowed to leave areas under granular lockdown, but will not be permitted to return while restrictions are in effect, Roque said.

“It will be literally a complete lockdown ‘pag ikaw ay (if you are) subject to granular lockdown,” he said.

The national and local governments will provide food aid to residents under granular lockdowns, added the official.

The inter-agency task force on COVID-19 will release other granular lockdown guidelines that considered inputs from mayors later Monday or on Tuesday, Roque said.

“Titingnan po natin kung talagang mas epektibo nga itong mga pinaigting nating localized, granular lockdowns. If it proves to be more successful… we will implement it,” he said.

Metro Manila, home to around 13.5 million people, was previously under the strictest lockdown, enhanced community quarantine, from Aug. 6 to 20, weeks after the detection of the more transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant.

Its lockdown later went down a notch to MECQ from Aug. 21 to Sept. 7.

The following quarantine levels for certain areas from Sept. 8 to 30 were approved by the COVID-19 task force, Roque said:

MECQ 

– Apayao
– Bataan
– Bulacan
– Cavite
– Lucena City
– Laguna
– Rizal
– Iloilo province
– Iloilo City
– Cagayan De Oro City

GCQ w/ heightened restrictions 

– Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte
– Cagayan
– Pangasinan
– Quezon, Batangas
– Naga City
– Antique, Bacolod City, Capiz
– Cebu province, Lapu-Lapu City, Negros Oriental
– Zamboanga Del Sur
– Misamis Oriental
– Davao City, Davao Del Norte, Davao De Oro, Davao Occidental
– Butuan City

GCQ

– Metro Manila
– Baguio City, Kalinga, Abra, Benguet
– Dagupan City
– Santiago City, Quirino, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya
– Tarlac
– Occidental Mindoro, Puerto Princesa
– Aklan, Guimaras, Negros Occidental
– Cebu City, Mandaue City
– Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga Del Norte
– Misamis Occidental, Iligan City
– Davao Oriental, Davao Del Sur
– General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato, South Cotabato
– Agusan Del Norte, Agusan Del Sur, Dinagat islands, Surigao Del Norte, Surigao Del Sur
– Cotabato City, Lanao Del Sur

The rest of the country will be under the least stringent modified GCQ, Roque said.

The Philippine breached 2-million total coronavirus cases last week. Authorities are scrambling to curb a recent spike in infections linked to the highly contagious Delta COVID-19 variant.

The entire Metro Manila, except Manila City, is under the highest Alert Level 4 because hospital bed capacity is already more than 70 percent, and the area is under moderate to critical risk for COVID-19, the Department of Health said.