THREE more provinces have been placed under stricter quarantine measures.

Cagayan, Apayao and Benguet are under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from May 10 to 23, 2021, based on Resolution 114-C issued on May 9 by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

On May 6, the IATF also passed Resolution 114-A which placed Zamboanga City under MECQ until May 14 and eased restrictions in Tacloban City to modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) until May 31.

Other areas that are under MECQ until May 14 are the National Capital Region (NCR) and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal.

The city of Santiago in Isabela as well as the provinces of Quirino and Abra are under MECQ for the entire month of May.

Only Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) will remain under general community quarantine (GCQ) for the rest of the month.

Other areas that are under GCQ are Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Batangas, Quezon Province, Iligan City, Davao City and Lanao del Sur.

The rest of the country are under MGCQ, the most lenient form of community quarantine.

Local governments, however, may declare localized lockdowns in areas with a high number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases. (Marites Villamor-Ilano / SunStar Philippines)