Palace says quarantine reclassification possible by June 15

FILE: SAFE PHYSICAL DISTANCING. Police personnel ensure that passengers observe safe physical distancing while queueing at the Light Rail Transit-1 (LRT-1) Monumento Station in Caloocan City on Thursday (June 4, 2020). Safe markers were placed in the station and inside trains to ensure that the measure is observed. (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

MANILA – A reclassification of community quarantines in different parts of the country is a possibility, but Metro Manila will have to be “examined closer”, Malacañang said on Monday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said it is a “safe conclusion” that the government will reclassify areas following the decrease of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases by date of onset of illness, and a longer case doubling rate.

“I would say that it is a safe conclusion na magkakaroon na naman po ng (that there will be another) reclassification except iba po ang data ng Metro Manila (Metro Manila, which has different data),” he said in a virtual presser.

Roque pointed out that Metro Manila will be examined closer since it is the epicenter of Covid-19 cases in the country,

“I think Metro Manila will have to be reexamined closer kung mag-e-MGCQ siya (if it will be downgraded to modified general community quarantine) next week. I cannot actually conclude because the data of NCR is different,” he said.

He said there is an “even chance” that relaxed quarantine protocols will be implemented in Metro Manila.

“It’s an even chance I would say pero titingnan po natin ang datos dahil alam niyo naman, talagang ang sentro ng Covid-19 ay dito sa Metro Manila (but we have to review the data because you know the epicenter of Covid-19 is here in Metro Manila),” he said.

Meanwhile, he admitted that the first week of implementation of the general community quarantine (GCQ) “needs improvement” but stood by its decision to only allow limited transportation from plying the streets.

“I would say that perhaps there are areas where we can improve pero wala tayong magagawa (but we cannot do anything about), for instance in transportation dahil talagang (because) we are still in community quarantine,” he said.

He reminded employers and business owners to only allow half of their workforce to physically report for work while allowing the rest to work-from-home.

Metro Manila, Pangasinan, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Central Visayas, Zamboanga City, Davao City, Albay, Cebu City, and Mandaue City are under GCQ from June 1 to 15. The rest of the country is under MGCQ.

Roque said once all types of community quarantines have been lifted and there is a lower Covid-19 infection rate, areas could transition to a “new normal”.

There are 22,474 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country with 1,011 deaths and 4,637 recoveries as of Monday (June 8).

More than half of the cases were recorded in Metro Manila.