Oops, These Areas Will Remain Under Modified GCQ; Guidelines For The Phased Transition From ECQ to GCQ

Malacañang clarified on Wednesday, May 13, that all areas that were identified to have graduated from community quarantine on Tuesday, May 12, will remain under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) from May 16 to May 31.

(On Thursday, May 14, the government said that in the absence of guidelines for MGCQ, all areas except Metro Manila, Laguna and Cebu City would be under GCQ instead. 

On Saturday, May 16, the cities of Cebu and Mandaue were reverted back to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ)  based on Resolution No. 37 of the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Diseases dated May 15 while Metro Manila, Laguna, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Pampanga and Angeles City were placed under modified ECQ.)

These low-risk areas or green zone are the following:

LUZON

•  Region 1 – Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Dagupan City
• Region 4-B – Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Palawan, Puerto Princesa City
• Region 5 – Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, Legazpi City, Naga City

VISAYAS

• Region 6 – Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Iloilo City, Bacolod City
• Region 8 – Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Western Samar, Southern Leyte, Ormoc City, Tacloban City

MINDANAO

•  Region 10 – Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro City
• Region 12 – North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, General Santos City
• Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or BARMM – Basilan,  Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and  Cotabato City

Read more: Modified ECQ versus GCQ: Why ECQ in NCR, Laguna, Cebu City cannot be lifted

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque and Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said in a virtual press briefing that it was an honest mistake on the part of the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases when it stated in Resolution No. 35 that some areas would no longer be under community quarantine.

 All areas will remain under the different categories of community quarantine – ECQ, modified ECQ and modified GCQ.

The government also issued the following guidelines or protocols for the phased transition from ECQ to modified GCQ.

Under ECQ and modified ECQ, people must stay at home 100 percent, except for those exempted like health workers. Under GCQ, the vulnerable like the elderly and transmitters like the youth must stay at home.

Outdoor exercises are not allowed under ECQ while under modified ECQ, limited outdoor exercise can be done like walking, jogging, running, biking with safety protocols such as the use of face masks and two-meter physical distancing.

Under GCQ, limited contact sports like golf and tennis are permitted.

Mass gatherings are not allowed under ECQ. Under modified ECQ, gatherings are strictly restricted to a maximum of five persons while under GCQ, these are restricted to a maximum of 10 persons.

For travel, there will be no public transportation under ECQ and modified ECQ. Domestic flights are also banned while international flights are limited. Under modified ECQ, inbound travel will be controlled but overseas Filipino workers or returning Filipinos will be allowed entry. Biking and non-motorized transport are encouraged while no inter-island travel will be allowed.

Under GCQ, there will be public transport with strict safe distancing, inter-island travel from GCQ to GCQ areas with safety protocols.

For schools, premises must be closed under ECQ and modified GCQ. Under GCQ, skeleton workforce to process requirements from students and to prepare for graduation and for next semester is allowed.

For government offices, there should be skeleton workforce onsite while others work from home under ECQ and GCQ. Under GCQ, alternative work arrangements (40 hours, four-day work week) are allowed.

Public transport remains disallowed under ECQ and MECQ but allowed under GCQ with limited load factor. These include railways (PNR, LRT, MRT), buses, jeepneys, taxis, transport network vehicle services, tricycles. Under ECQ, MECQ and GCQ, public shuttles are allowed but only for frontliners under ECQ. Under MECQ, tricycles may be exempted subject to the guidelines of the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the local government units (LGUs).

For private transportation, here are the guidelines:

Public and private construction will be allowed under modified ECQ but must strictly follow the Department of Public Works and Highways’ Department Order No. 35

Public projects include those undertaken by the DPWH while private projects cover those undertaken by LGUs and the Department of Labor and Employment. Only 21 to 59 years old without pre-existing health conditions will be allowed to work.

Prior to deployment, workers will be tested before starting (to funded by the contractors), housed in barracks for project duration with segregated facilities, and must be provided  initial transport via private shuttle (not public transport).

Onsite employees must also have quarantine passes.

During deployment, safe distancing of one meter must be observed by workers including in barracks, daily disinfection must carried out while errands outside the construction site must be minimized. Quarantine for all personnel returning from outside is mandated while deliveries and disposal must be handled by separate teams. There must be personal protective equipment for all employees and a safety officer who will ensure compliance.