IATF recommends GCQ in Metro Manila starting June 1
MANILA, Philippines — The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Diseases (IATF) on Wednesday night recommended to President Rodrigo Duterte that Metro Manila be placed under a less stringent general community quarantine (GCQ).
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año confirmed this in an interview with CNN Philippines' "The Source" on Thursday.
"For Metro Manila, our recommendation is that it undergoes general community quarantine, except for high risk barangays, the so-called critical zones, which will stay under total lockdown," Secretary Año said in Filipino. He added that barangays with more than two COVID-19 cases within seven days will be considered high-risk.
Año said the final decision still lies with Duterte who will meet with the IATF and his Cabinet tonight.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said that Duterte will announce his decision Thursday night in a televised address.
IATF special adviser Tony Leachon today in a radio interview with radio dzBB also confirmed the recommended shift to GCQ in both Metro Manila and Davao. He added that Cebu City would remain under modified enhanced community quarantine as it is considered the second epicenter of the COVID-19 virus.
Metro Manila mayors on Tuesday night voted unanimously to graduate the region from modified enhanced community quarantine to GCQ.
Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez, who also chairs the Metro Manila Council, previously said that the mayors preferred a shift to GCQ to alleviate the economic effects of the COVID-induced quarantine.
Under GCQ, several non-essential industries will be allowed to reopen. Public transport will also be allowed to resume operations at a reduced capacity to ensure proper social distancing.
There are currently 15,049 COVID-19 cases and a death toll of 904 in the country. The World Health Organization also recently sounded the alarm over the slow contact tracing being conducted by the government.
Other regions and provinces in the Philippines considered moderate and low-risk areas will be placed under general community quarantine starting May 1. Bookmark this page for updates. (Main image by The STAR/Edd Gumban)
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- Total active cases: 22,070
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- New recoveries: 1,393
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- New deaths: 305
- New recoveries: 1,956
- Total active cases: 23,158
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- Recoveries: 4,029 bringing the number to 2,735,508
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- Recoveries: 2,941 bringing the number to 2,731,583
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