NCR, Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan, Rizal Back To ECQ From March 29 To April 4; Here’s How It Will Work

The government announced on Saturday, March 27, that the National Capital Region, Laguna, Bulacan, Cavite and Rizal or (NCR Plus or Greater Manila Area) would be reverted to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from March 29 to April 4 as the number of COVID-19 cases surged as earlier projected by experts.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said President Duterte approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to place NCR Plus under ECQ as data would suggest that drastic threats require “drastic response.”

Earlier, the government placed Greater Manila Area (GMA) or NCR Plus under general community quarantine with more restrictions. The government called this NCR Plus bubble because essential and limited leisure travels within and between these areas were permitted.

Roque said the NCR Plus bubble under Resolution No. 104 has been superseded by Resolution No. 106-A placing the Greater Manila Area or GMA under ECQ.

Under ECQ, inter-zonal movements will no longer be allowed except for those exempted and curfew hours will be from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. Under the NCR Plus, curfew hours were only from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Only essential industries will be open and even outdoor dining is no longer allowed unlike when NCR Plus was placed under GCQ.

In a press briefing, Roque appealed for understanding as COVID-19 cases had been rising and hospitals were already facing high or critical risks.

He said people must be “homeliners” anew and cooperate with the government to stem the spread of  COVID-19 cases.

According to Roque, public transportation will be open at limited capacity. Gathering of more than 10 people will not be allowed, including the church activities that were permitted once a day from April 1 to 4 under Resolution No. 105 at 10 percent capacity.

Checkpoints will be set up but travel pass is not needed. There will be heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce the mobility restrictions.

Roque said Education Secretary Leonor Briones agreed to use schools as quarantine facilities.

Here are the other salient provisions of Resolution No. 106-A:

• House-to-house search of suspected COVID-19 cases will be conducted. Roque said 95 percent of close contacts must be traced. Local government units (LGUs) must be able to isolate, test, contact trace suspected cases within 24 hours. 

• The government will provide assistance to those who will be affected by the ECQ. Roque said specific details, including the amount and the schedule of distribution, are still being finalized.

• The longer curfew to be implemented from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. shall exclude authorized persons outside of residence, workers, cargo vehicles and public transportation.

• Even indoor mass gatherings with any persons outside of immediate households are not allowed.

• All persons below 18 years old and above 65 years old, as well as pregnant women and those with immunodeficiency, comorbidity and other health risks are not allowed to leave their homes. Exemptions include when accessing essential goods or services or working in permitted offices or establishments.

• Malls will be closed, except for essential stores such as groceries, pharmacies and hardware. Restaurants may only operate for take-out or delivery.

• Road, rail, maritime and aviation sectors of public transportation shall be allowed to operate at such capacity and following the protocols to be provided by the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

• Essential and priority construction projects, whether public or private, shall be allowed to continue their operation in accordance with guidelines issued by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

• The following are allowed for full operational capacity: public and private hospitals; health, emergency and frontline services; manufacturers of medicines, medical supplies, devices and equipment; agriculture, forestry and fishery industries and their workers, including farmers, agrarian reform beneficiaries or ARBs;  and delivery and courier services transporting food, medicine or other essential goods.

• Maximum of 50 percent operation capacity for other private establishments providing essential goods and services, media establishments and their total permanent staff and other workers accredited by DOTr.

• Establishments that are only allowed to have skeleton workforce include: other medical, dental, rehabilitation and optometry clinics, pharmacies and drug stores; veterinary clinics; banks and money transfer services; telecommunications companies, internet service as well as cable television providers; manufacturing companies and suppliers (construction works such as cement and steel); funeral and embalming services; security personnel; real estate activities limited to leasing leasing; capital markets; water supply and sanitation services and facilities; airline and aircraft maintenance; Philippine Postal Corporation, Philippine Statistics Authority, business process outsourcing companies; humanitarian assistance personnel of civil society organizations, non-government organizations, United Nations-Humanitarian Country Team; pastors, priests, rabbis, imams or such other religious ministers; and repair and maintenance of machinery and equipment.

• LGUs may extend scope of lockdown to whole municipality or city, limit inter-zonal mobility especially in and out of high-transmission areas and limit non-essential travels within the lockdowns.

Roque disclosed the government also allowed procurement of medicines or drugs under  compassionate special permit so they could be utilized to treat COVID-19.

In addition, Roque said the following areas are directed to implement enhanced prevent, detect, isolate, treat and rehabilitate measures to limit mobility and minimize delays in case detection: Region 3, Cordillera Administrative Region, Batangas City and Quezon province.

In the past three days alone, the Department of Health reported 9,595 COVID-19 cases on Saturday, 9,838 on Friday, March 26, and 8,773 cases on Thursday, March 25.

Ahead of the announcement, news about the impending return of NCR Plus to ECQ circulated on social media. On Facebook, Governors Jonvic Remulla of Cavite and Ramil Hernandez of Laguna announced that their provinces would be placed under ECQ from March 28 to April 4.

Roque said the ECQ will be implemented on Monday, March 29, to give people the chance to prepare as they have to stay at home anew.

Why ECQ?

The government has been saying that it could no longer afford a lockdown or restrictions that could cripple the economy but Roque noted that since it is Holy Week and people normally do not work during this time, the impact is expected to be minimal.

Roque said data would also show that the government would have to do more to curb infections, especially those caused by new COVID-19 variants.

According to Roque, Resolution No. 106-A focuses on prevention activities such as compliance to minimum health standards even at home; distribution and promotion of the use of personal protective equipment such as face masks and face shields, and retrofitting of workplaces, establishments and public places to ensure adequate ventilation.

"The expectation is we can lessen cases by more than 25 percent under the ECQ," Roque said.

On Saturday, the OCTA Research group recommended the reimposition of modified ECQ or MECQ for at least two weeks.

OCTA fellow Ranjit Rye said stricter quarantine will break the chains of transmission fueling the surge and will help save hospitals and healthcare workers from being overwhelmed.

“Right now, OCTA’s projection continues to be accurate.  We are now witnessing longer queues for admissions, and the longer these patients wait for proper medical attention, the higher their risk of succumbing to this infection,” Rye said.