No ‘final’ quarantine classifications yet after July 15

FILE: CHECKPOINT. A policeman talks to a commuter from Bulacan who decided to walk due to heavy traffic caused by a checkpoint set up near the boundary of Caloocan and Bulacan on Sunday (March 15, 2020). (PNA photo by Oliver Marquez)

MANILA – The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has yet to make “final” recommendations on the fate of the nationwide community quarantine after July 15, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

In a virtual press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said members of the IATF-EID would meet on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the possible retention of or changes in the quarantine status in the country.

He said the meeting of IATF-EID members would take some hours to discuss the proposed quarantine classifications that would be imposed in the country after July 15.

“Pag-uusapan pa lang mamaya ‘yung mga apela (The IATF-EID will still discuss the appeals [made by local governments]),” said Roque, who is also spokesperson of the IATF-EID.

So far, only Bacolod City has appealed, he said, noting that he, however, was not privy as to whether the appeal was to impose a stricter or more relaxed community quarantine in the city.

The current quarantine classifications in the country are set to expire on July 15.

Roque said Duterte would announce the new quarantine status on Wednesday because the IATF-EID has yet to come up with finalrecommendations.

“Wala pa pong pinal na rekomendasyon kay Presidente (There is still no final recommendation to the President),” he said. “Bukas pa po ma-anunsiyo ni Presidente dahil mamaya pa po mapa-finalize yung recommendations (The President will make the announcement tomorrow because the recommendations will be finalized later).”

Roque reiterated that the classification of community quarantine beginning July 16 would be based on the case doubling rate and critical health care capacity.

To date, only Cebu City is under an enhanced community quarantine, the most stringent quarantine classification.

Under the general community quarantine (GCQ) are Metro Manila, Benguet, Cavite, Rizal, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Ormoc City, Leyte, Southern Leyte, and Cebu’s Talisay City, Minglanilla, and Consolacion.

A stricter modified GCQ (MGCQ) is imposed in Abra, Baguio City, Ifugao, Kalinga, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Angeles City, Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, Lucena City, Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Naga City Capiz, Iloilo City, Negros Occidental, Bacolod City, and Cebu province.

Also under a stricter MGCQ are Bohol, Negros Oriental, Tacloban City, Western Samar, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao City, Davao de Oro, Cotabato, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Butuan City, Lanao del Sur, and Maguindanao.

The rest of the country is under a more relaxed MGCQ.