Metro Manila mayors bare 3 quarantine recommendations after May 15

MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority on Saturday announced that the Metro Manila mayors “unanimously” voted for the recommendations on what will happen to areas currently under enhanced community quarantine after May 15.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Jojo Garcia, in an online briefing Saturday, said that the Metro Manila Council, composed of 17 mayors, proposed the following scenerios:   

• Extend ECQ for two more weeks, from May 16 to 30.
• Lift ECQ and implement general community quarantine in the entire Metro Manila
• Modified GCQ, where local government units are allowed to impose a lockdown on a specific barangay or zone if needed.

Garcia said that the recommendations will be presented to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, which would make the final decision.

“Ipe-present [lang] namin because hindi naman MMC ang magde-decide for that eh," Garcia said.

Under GCQ, several forms of mass transport and establishments would be allowed to resume operations, but at reduced capacity.

Earlier Saturday, the task force said that they are scheduled to convene next Monday to discuss on whether to extend or downgrade ECQ in Metro Manila to contain the spread of coronavirus disease 2019.

"Let’s wait until Monday for the IATF’s recommendation since we expect the task force to hold a special meeting on Monday morning because we expect later in the day, they will submit to President Rodrigo Duterte their recommendation on what will happen to areas that remain under ECQ until now," Roque said in Filipino during the Saturday morning Laging Handa virtual briefing.

The IATF spokesman reiterated that the task force has not yet agreed on anything or made a final recommendation to the president.