Malacañang Puts NCR, Nearby Provinces Under ECQ Again
The Palace has put Metro Manila and nearby provinces under a week-long enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from March 29 to April 4, due to the alarming surge in COVID-19 cases.
Frontliners at St. Lukes Medical Center/IMAGE from Philippine Primer
According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the Inter-Agency Task Force’s (IATF) recommendation to once again place National Capital Region (NCR), Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal under ECQ.
An ECQ status orders all households to quarantine at home. Movements will be limited to Authorized Persons Outside Residence, those buying goods in groceries and pharmacies, and workers in establishments allowed to operate.
Mass and religious gatherings, face-to-face classes, and dine-in services are also prohibited, while mass transportation is allowed at a limited capacity. Malls will remain open for essential services. A stricter curfew from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. will be enforced in those areas.
Other important guidelines under the ECQ are:
- Dining establishments for take-out and delivery only
- The government and the private sector may resume essential and priority constructions projects, so long as they follow the guidelines issued by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH);
- People aged below 18 and above 65, people with comorbidities, and pregnant women will not be allowed to go out, unless they need to either obtain essential goods and services or work in the office;
- Travel and quarantine passes no longer needed;
- Full operation of public and private hospitals; health, emergency, and front-line services; manufacturers of medicines and medical supplies; agriculture, forestry; and fishery; and delivery and courier services transporting food, medicine, or other essential goods are allowed within NCR Plus;
- Private establishments offering essential goods and services, as well as media establishments, can operate at 50 percent capacity.
- Other establishments that can adopt a skeleton workforce include dental clinics, optometry clinics, pharmacies, veterinary clinics, banks, money transfer services, telecommunications companies, manufacturing firms, funeral and embalming services, and security personnel.
IMAGE from National Task Force Against Covid19 Facebook page
The spokesperson assured the public that the government would do its best to stop the further transmission of Covid-19.
As of March 28, the Department of Health (DOH) has reported an additional 9,475 COVID-19 cases, 22,000 recoveries, and 11 deaths.
Source: Philippine News Agency
