COVID-19 Metro Manila Reverts to Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine until August 18

President Rodrigo Duterte heeds the call of medical groups calling for stricter quarantine measures in the Philippines. A Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), the second highest health measure, will be implemented in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and Bulacan starting 4 August until 18 August.

This means there are no public transportation. Trains, buses, jeepneys, taxis, ride-hailing services, and tricycles are not allowed to operate during MECQ. Manufacturing plants, selected industries and establishments are allowed to operate only with half their capacity.

“I have heard of different groups from the medical community for a two-week ECQ in Mega Manila. I fully understand why your health workers would like to ask for such a time out,” said Duterte during a speech Sunday night.

Medical frontliners urged the government to revive the strict lockdown in Metro Manila for the next two weeks, saying a “timeout” would be needed to prevent the collapse of the health care system amid the continuous surge in coronavirus infections.

On Sunday, COVID-19 cases in the Philippines breached the 100,000 mark after recording around 4,000 new positive test results in the past days. Palace spokesman Harry Roque meanwhile confirmed that President Duterte also approved the hiring of 10,000 additional medical professionals; the issuance of work and quarantine passes to the public to minimize movement; intensified implementation of the localized lockdown strategy by Local Government Units; stricter enforcement of minimum health standards; provision of 20 million face masks for the poor, and; the use of RT-PCR as gold standard for COVID-19 testings.

While the rest of the country is under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ), General Community Quarantine (GCQ) remains in the following areas:

• Batangas
• Lapu-Lapu City
• Mandaue City
• Talisay City
• Minglanilla
• Consolacion
• Zamboanga City