IATF approves MECQ in Zamboanga City, MGCQ in Tacloban

MANILA – Zamboanga City has been placed under the more restrictive modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), while Tacloban City has been put under the least restrictive modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), Malacañang said on Friday.

This, after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) approved Thursday the appeals of the local governments of Zamboanga and Tacloban cities to modify the quarantine classification within their respective localities.

The new quarantine status in the two cities is effective “immediately,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press statement.

“The Inter-Agency Task Force on Thursday, May 6, 2021, placed Zamboanga City under modified enhanced community quarantine, effective immediately until May 14, 2021. Also, effective immediately, Tacloban City shall be placed under modified general community quarantine until May 31, 2021,” Roque, also acting as IATF-EID spokesperson, said.

On April 29, the IATF-EID decided to impose the MECQ status in the National Capital Region Plus (Metro Manila and provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal) and other select areas in the country only until May 14.

Other areas under MECQ are Quirino, Abra, Ifugao, and the City of Santiago in Isabela.

On the other hand, GCQ is imposed in Apayao, Baguio City, Benguet, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Batangas, Quezon, Iligan City, Davao City, Lanao del Sur, and Puerto Princesa City until May 31.

The rest of the country stays under MGCQ.

Meanwhile, the IATF-EID has also approved the conduct of horse racing activities in areas under MECQ, Roque said.

Roque said horse racing is allowed under a “no-audience set up”.

“In addition, only online and TeleBet activities in NCR Plus may operate,” he said.

Roque added that the IATF-EID has also approved and adopted the guidelines on point-to-point air travel for leisure purposes from the NCR Plus Areas of the Department of Tourism.

For areas under GCQ and MGCQ, off-tracking betting stations may resume operations, Roque said.