THE entire National Capital Region, or Metro Manila, will remain under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) for another week until September 15, 2021 as the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases deferred the implementation of the proposed granular lockdowns.

Malacañang made this announcement Tuesday evening, September 7, on the eve of the supposed pilot implementation of a new system called general community quarantine (GCQ) with alert levels system.

Under this new system, households, or a street, compound, or community with a high number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases would be under a complete lockdown instead of the entire capital region.

DOH Epidemiology Bureau Director Alethea de Guzman explained during Malacañang's virtual press briefing earlier Tuesday that not all areas in Metro Manila are experiencing a surge in Covid-19 cases.

With Metro Manila still on MECQ, indoor and al fresco dine-in services, and establishments offering personal care services, such as beauty salons, beauty parlors and nail spas, will remain closed.

Religious services performed through online video recording and transmission shall be allowed.

Immediate family members are allowed to attend necrological services, wakes, inurnment and funerals as long as the deceased died of non-Covid-19 causes. However, they need to show satisfactory proof of their relationship with the deceased and have to comply with the minimum public health standards. (Marites Villamor-Ilano / SunStar Philippines)