COVID-19 task force backtracks, places low-risk areas under modified GCQ
Published May 13, 2020 1:08:19 PM
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13) — Several provinces and cities cited as low-risk areas will now be placed under modified general community quarantine, the COVID-19 task force said on Wednesday.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the local chief executives of 37 provinces and 11 cities, including BARMM, appealed to place their areas under community quarantine. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the release of the list in the Inter-Agency Task Force’s recommendation was an “honest mistake.”
The task force took back its announcement on Tuesday that areas deemed as low-risk will no longer be placed on any form of community quarantine starting May 16. Local officials have earlier raised concerns they may see a spike in COVID-19 cases if lockdown rules are completely lifted.
“Kapag wala nang quarantine ay ineexpect na magkaroon ng second or third wave. Kaya wala na tayong area sa buong Pilipinas na hindi under ng community quarantine, iba iba lang po ng level,” he said in a media briefing.
[Translation: If there is no community quarantine. we are expecting a second or third wave of COVID-19 cases. So now, all areas will be under a form of community quarantine.]
The following areas will be under modified GCQ from May 16 to 31:
– 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
– 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
– 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
– BARMM: Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Cotabato City
The IATF has yet to finalize the guidelines for the areas under modified GCQ.
For those under modified GCQ, movement is more relaxed and workers are allowed to report back to their non-essential jobs while practicing minimum health standards, such as wearing of face masks in public, physical distancing, and constant handwashing and disinfecting.
Metro Manila, the province of Laguna, and Cebu City will be under modified enhanced community quarantine; while other parts of the country with moderate-risk of COVID-19 infection will be placed under general community quarantine starting May 16.
SOURCE: https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/5/13/MGCQ-Modified-general-community-quarantine-areas.html
