METRO Manila mayors are seeking to further relax quarantine restrictions to allow more businesses to reopen in June, Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Benhur Abalos Jr. said on Thursday, May 27, 2021.

He said the Metro Manila Council agreed during a meeting on Wednesday, May 26, to make such a recommendation to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

He said they will discuss the proposal with the IATF later Thursday.

Metro Manila, or the National Capital Region (NCR), is under general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions until May 31, along with the provinces of Laguna, Cavite, Rizal and Bulacan.

Under this quarantine classification, indoor dine-in services are limited to 20 percent of the venue capacity while outdoor or al fresco dining is limited to 50 percent venue capacity.

Tourism-related establishments in the NCR and the four provinces are also allowed to operate but only up to 30 percent of capacity, with strict adherence to health protocols and Department of Tourism guidelines to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Private research group Octa Research has recommended the retention of GCQ in the said areas as Covid-19 cases remain significant. (SunStar Philippines)