Laguna, Iloilo City, CDO downgraded to MECQ

MANILA – The quarantine classification in Laguna province and the cities of Iloilo and Cagayan de Oro have been downgraded from the strictest enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to the more relaxed modified ECQ (MECQ), Malacañang announced Friday.

This developed after President Rodrigo Duterte approved the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ (IATF-EID) recommendation to place these areas under MECQ from Aug. 16 to 31, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press statement.

“President Rodrigo Roa Duterte approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force to de-escalate the classification of Laguna, Iloilo City and Cagayan de Oro City from Enhanced Community Quarantine to Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine beginning August 16 until August 31, 2021,” Roque, also acting as IATF-EID spokesperson, said.

Meanwhile, the ECQ status in Metro Manila and Bataan will be retained until Aug. 20 and 22, respectively, Roque said.

MECQ

Other places such as Bulacan, Aklan, Apayao will be placed under MECQ from Aug. 16 to 31, Roque said.

Bulacan and Aklan were initially under general community quarantine (GCQ) “with heightened restrictions” from Aug. 1 to 15.

Apayao, on the other hand, was supposed to be under regular GCQ from Aug. 1 to 31.

Roque said the provinces of Iloilo, Cavite, Rizal, and Iloilo, as well as the cities of Lucena, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, and Cebu, will remain under MECQ until the end of the month.

GCQ with heightened restrictions

Quezon and Batangas will also stay under GCQ with heightened restrictions until Aug. 31, Roque said.

Other areas that will remain under GCQ with heightened restrictions include Ilocos Sur, Cagayan, Naga City, Bacolod City, Capiz, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga del Sur; Misamis Oriental, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao Occidental, Davao de Oro, and Butuan City.

Antique and Cebu province will also be under GCQ with heightened restrictions beginning Aug. 16, Roque said.

The quarantine status in Antique has been elevated from modified GCQ, while the quarantine level in Cebu has been de-escalated from MECQ.

GCQ sans restrictions

The GCQ classification without restrictions will be retained in Baguio City, Santiago City, Quirino, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Puerto Princesa, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato, and South Cotabato.

Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands, and Cotabato City will also remain under the regular GCQ.

The rest of the country will stay under MGCQ until Aug. 31, Roque said.