Metro Manila, Laguna, Cebu City will be under ‘modified ECQ’ until May 31

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Tuesday that Metro Manila, Laguna, and Cebu City would be placed under a modified lockdown until May 31 as the rest of the Philippines ends their ECQ and GCQ on Friday, May 15.

Roque said a modified enhanced community quarantine would be imposed in Metro Manila, Laguna province, and Cebu City from May 16 to May 31. The decision was released after President Rodrigo Duterte met with the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases Monday night.

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He added that under the modified lockdown, select industries could operate up to a maximum of 50 percent capacity. The list of allowed industries will be announced on Wednesday.

“Ang modified po na ECQ is ECQ kaya lang may ilang industriya na bubuksan hanggang 50 porsiyento at mayroon pa rin ilang zona, mga barangay, o grupo ng mga barangay na mananatili pa rin sa ECQ,” Roque said in a Palace press briefing.

(A modified ECQ is an ECQ wherein some industries will reopen but up to 50 percent capacity only. And there are still zones, barangays, or group of barangays that would be under ECQ.)

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“We cannot afford a second or third wave na mangyari (to happen),” Duterte said in a public address aired earlier in the day.

Metro Manila, Laguna, Cebu City will be under ‘modified ECQ’ until May 31

The Metro Manila Council (MMC) earlier recommended to the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) the extension but for a maximum of 15 days only.

Las Piñas, Makati, Malabon, Quezon City, and Manila reportedly voted to proceed with the GCQ.

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Navotas, Mandaluyong, Valenzuela, San Juan, Pasay, Pasig, Taguig, Caloocan, Pateros and Parañaque cities voted to extend the ECQ in Metro Manila.

The cities of Marikina and Muntinlupa abstained.

A team of University of the Philippines (UP) professors on Saturday meanwhile warned the government that a premature lifting of ECQ in Metro Manila and other areas with high cases of COVID-19 might result in 24,000 new cases and 1,700 deaths by mid-June.

Areas that will shift to general community quarantine starting May 16

– Region II
– Region III
– Region IV-A – except Laguna
– CAR
– Region VII – except Cebu City
– Region IX
– Region XI
– Region XIII

Areas with no ECQ or GCQ starting May 16

– Region I
– Region IV-B
– Region V
– Region VI
– Region VIII
– Region X
– Region XII
BARMM