PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has approved the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases recommendation to place the cities of Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue in Cebu as well as the provinces of Bataan and Ilocos Norte in Luzon under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from August 1 to August 15, 2021.
Cebu City and Cebu Province will remain under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) despite the rising cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and reports that some hospitals are filling up with Covid-19 patients.
The cities of Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro and Gingoog as well as Iloilo Province will remain under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) until August 7, 2021.
Metro Manila, or the National Capital Region, will remain under general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions until August 15.
Ilocos Sur, Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro will also remain under GCQ with heightened restrictions.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. announced the new quarantine classifications during President Rodrigo Duterte’s weekly Talk to the People Wednesday midnight, July 28, 2021, to refute posts circulating on social media about a supposed “circuit breaker lockdown” in several areas.
Other areas that will be under GCQ with heightened restrictions are the provinces of Cagayan, Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga del Sur, Misamis Oriental and Davao Occidental.
The cities of Lucena, Naga, Bacolod, Davao and Butuan will also be under GCQ with heightened restrictions.
Under GCQ are the following: Baguio City, Apayao, Santiago City, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Quezon, Batangas, Puerto Princesa City, Guimaras and Negros Occidental.
In Mindanao, the following are under GCQ: Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands and Cotabato City. (MVI / SunStar Philippines)