Until June 15: Duterte extends GCQ in Metro Manila

The general community quarantine (GCQ) quarantine classification in Metro Manila and other areas has been extended until June 15, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday night.

Duterte approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to extend the GCQ status in the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal (NCR Plus) for 15 more days to prevent a surge in Covid-19 cases in the country.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, in a press statement, said some restrictions shall remain in place in NCR Plus limiting the capacities of certain industries.

Areas under the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), such as Abra, Baguio City, Kalinga, Mountain Province; Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino in Region 2; Batangas and Quezon in Region 4-A; Iligan City in Region 10, Davao City in Region 11, and Lanao del Sur and Cotabato City in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are also placed under GCQ until June 30.

Meanwhile, the City of Santiago and Cagayan in Region 2; Apayao, Benguet, and Ifugao in CAR; Puerto Princesa in Region 4-B; Iloilo City in Region 6; and Zamboanga City, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte in Region 9; Cagayan de Oro City in Region 10; and Butuan City and Agusan del Sur in Caraga will be placed under the second most strict modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) classification from June 1 to 15.

The rest of the country shall be put under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) until June 30.

On Tuesday, the OCTA Research Group recommended retaining the GCQ status in NCR Plus in June to avoid a situation where people become “very complacent.”

OCTA Research fellow Guido David said the “with heightened restrictions” part of the quarantine classification can now be relaxed.

Meanwhile, Duterte also approved the extension of restrictions currently imposed on inbound travelers coming from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates until June 15.

The travel restrictions were imposed after two overseas Filipino workers who returned from the Arab states tested positive for India’s “double mutant” B.1.617 variant.

As of Monday, health authorities recorded 6,684 new Covid-19 infections, bringing the country’s total of active cases to 54,290.

Recoveries reached 1,155,045 with 6,852 more patients getting better while 139 more deaths brought the death toll to 20,966. (PNA)

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)