NCR Reverts To ECQ From Aug. 6 To 20

The National Capital Region (NCR) will revert to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from Aug. 6 to 20 due to the threat of the more infectious Delta variant of COVID-19, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Friday morning, July 30.

President Duterte also approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to place the region under general community quarantine (GCQ) “with heightened and additional restrictions” from July 30 to Aug. 5.

The government earlier rejected calls to implement a two-week “circuit-breaker” lockdown, with Malacañang insisting that the decision was based on science.

Read More: Gov’t Rejects Calls For ‘Circuit-Breaker’ Lockdowns: ‘Heightened’ GCQ In NCR Until Aug. 15

Roque said it took hours of debate before the decision was made.

“It was a painful decision because we know how difficult ECQ is,” he said in Filipino. “But we need to do this to prevent a shortage in ICU (intensive care unit) beds and other hospital requirements if the Delta variant cases continue to increase.”

The Department of Health on Thursday, July 29, recorded 97 new cases of Delta variant, bringing the total to 216.

Read More: 97 New Delta Cases Detected; Duterte Wants Unvaccinated Escorted To Their Homes

Other areas

Aside from Metro Manila, Duterte earlier approved the imposition of ECQ in Iloilo City and the entire Iloilo province, Cagayan de Oro and Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental until Aug. 7.

Placed under modified ECQ were the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Bataan and Cebu, including the highly urbanized cities Cebu, Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue, until Aug. 15.

The MECQ declaration in Cebu City and Cebu province are subject to further appeals by their respective local government units.

Meanwhile, placed under GCQ with heightened restrictions until Aug. 15 were Ilocos Sur, Cagayan, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna (including Lucena City), Naga City, Antique, Aklan, Bacolod City, Capiz, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro and Butuan City.

Under GCQ were Baguio City, Apayao, Quirino, Isabela (including Santiago City), Nueva Vizcaya, Batangas, Quezon, Puerto Princesa City, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga City, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North and South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands and Cotabato City.

The rest of the country will be under modified GCQ.

GCQ with ‘heightened and additional’ restrictions

From July 30 to Aug. 5, Roque said GCQ with “heightened and additional restrictions” will be imposed over Metro Manila.

Indoor dine-in services and al fresco dining of food preparation establishments shall not be allowed after the end of business or working hours on Friday, July 30.

Also prohibited from operating are indoor sports courts and venues, indoor tourist attractions and specialized markets of the Department of Tourism.

Outdoor tourist attractions and personal care services such as beauty salons and parlors, barber shops and nail spas may still operate up to 30% of venue or seating capacity. 

Only authorized persons outside of their residences are allowed to travel into and out of the NCR Plus Area, which includes the provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna and Cavite.

The new policy also prohibits physical religious gatherings, with necrological services, wakes, inurnment and funerals for those who died of causes other than COVID-19 limited only to family members.

Prepare for ECQ

Roque appealed to the public not to panic buy ahead of the implementation of ECQ, saying groceries and other essential retail and service establishments will remain open even during the imposition of the strictest quarantine classification.

Latest IATF guidelines also allow operations of public transportation in areas under ECQ, subject to limited capacity set by the Department of Transportation.

“This one week (of GCQ under heightened restrictions), we should prepare on what we should do for the two-week ECQ,” said the presidential spokesperson.

“If you have a business that are not allowed to operate under ECQ, you should prepare for your arrangements,” he added.

The government has yet to announce if financial assistance will be provided to poorest families that will be affected by the ECQ.

The Department of Trade and Industry earlier said that the economy could not afford a two-week lockdown for Metro Manila as this would mean P30 billion worth of lost wages affecting 1.8 million workers.

“The economy cannot bear another massive lockdown, unless the situation really calls for it. We lose P30 billion in wages for two-week lockdown. Loss of jobs will worsen hunger situation. More MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) will close down,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said.