NCR back to ECQ effective Aug. 6
Several other areas under stricter quarantine due to Delta variant
The National Capital Region (NCR) will be placed under the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) from
August 6 to 20 after undergoing a week-long stricter General Community Quarantine (GCQ) due to the spike in coronavirus disease (COVID19) cases.
Presidential
spokesman Harry Roque said President Duterte approved placing the NCR or Metro Manila back to ECQ but will first undergo a week-long GCQ with heightened and additional restrictions from July 30 to August 5.
Four other areas were also placed under ECQ, while six others will be under Modified ECQ (MECQ). Twenty areas were placed under GCQ with heightened restrictions and 27 others will be under regular GCQ.
Metro mayors welcome
stricter quarantine
The decision to place the NCR under ECQ was immediately welcomed by Metro Manila mayors, through Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benhur Abalos.
“The Metro Manila mayors are grateful to the Inter-Agency Task Force for its prompt and appropriate action the decision to implement General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with heightened and additional restrictions starting today, July 30, until August 5 and Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) from August 6 to 20,” Abalos said in a statement on Friday, July 30.
“The imposition of this quarantine classification is timely, thanks to the national government for granting our request,” Abalos said.
For the past few days, the mayormembers of the Metro Manila Council (MMC) have been prodding the national government to consider bringing back ECQ amid the threat posed by the Delta variant of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Business sector backs ECQ Previously divided over calls for hard lockdown, the business sector now stand behind Malacañang’s decision to return to hard lockdown to avert the possibility of surge in Delta variant cases in the country.
“Business is against lockdown because it is disruptive and harmful to the economy. But if the Department of Health finds it necessary due to unexpected surge of the Delta variant then business will comply,” said the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) in a statement.
The PCCI, however, said the biggest challenge is to regain the stalled momentum, sustain the recovery trajectory, keep the workers, and meet fixed operating expenses.
As such, the largest business organization in the country urged that the lockdown period is definitive and lifted at the earliest possible time.
Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez also said the imposition of hard lockdown is inevitable.
“Although the economy and MSMEs cannot bear another lockdown, the ECQ may be inevitable so as to remove any possibility of an uncontrollable surge like what happened in other countries that claimed thousands of lives,” said Lopez a day after Malacañang backtracked from its position against the implementation of ECQ in NCR.
OCTA hails move
Likewise, independent research group OCTA lauded the national government for its decision to reimplement ECQ.
“OCTA supports the government's decision to impose stricter measures in the NCR as a precautionary intervention to arrest the growing number of COVID-19 cases,” it said in a statement.
OCTA has been calling for the imposition of immediate and hard "circuitbreaker" lockdown to address the latest COVID-19 surge in NCR.
Stricter quarantine
necessary
Roque said placing NCR back to ECQ was not an easy decision to make because of the government's aim to balance arresting the spread of COVID-19 due to the Delta variant and reducing the number of people experiencing hunger because of the pandemic.
“Masakit na desisyon po natin ito dahil alam nating mahirap ang ECQ (This was a painful decision to make because we know how difficult life is under ECQ),” he said Friday, July 30.
“We needed to do this to prevent shortage of ICU beds and other hospital requirements in case the number of cases will surge due to the Delta variant,” he added.
Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases made the decision to save the lives of many people.
“In the end, everybody thought that this difficult decision was necessary to save more lives,” he said.
“Like what the President said, the decision may be difficult but this was for everyone's welfare,” he added.
The Palace official advised business owners to take the GCQ period to make the necessary arrangements, especially if their business will not be allowed to operate under ECQ.
Roque reminded residents of Metro Manila that there was no need for panic buying since supermarkets and grocery stores remain open under ECQ.
“What's important is we use this week to make plans,” he said.
Metro Manila mayors and some members of the business sectors had urged the government to place the region under ECQ as a precautionary measure against the dreaded Delta variant as long as there would be cash aid or “ayuda” for the residents.
Roque said the government does not have enough funds for further ayuda but said it will look for ways to fund another round of the amelioration program if declaring ECQ was inevitable.
As of July 29, the country has recorded 216 cases of the more contagious Delta variant. So far, the Philippines has reported 1,562,420 COVID-19 cases with 1,478,265 recoveries and 27,318 deaths.
Protocols under stricter GCQ
NCR will be under GCQ with heightened and additional restrictions from July 30 to August 5.
Under this new form of GCQ, indoor and al fresco dining services will be prohibited from July 31. Only take-out and delivery services shall be allowed.
Personal care services like beauty salons and parlors, barbershops, and spas may operate up to 30 percent of venue capacity.
Indoor sports courts and venues, indoor tourist attractions, and specialized markets of the Department of Tourist (DOT) like staycations may not operate.
Outdoor tourist attractions shall remain to be allowed at 30-percent venue capacity.
During this period, only authorized persons outside residence (APORs) shall be allowed to travel to and from the NCRplus area.
Only virtual religious gatherings shall be allowed but gatherings for wakes, inurnment, and funerals for those who died of causes other than COVID-19 shall be allowed but limited to immediate family members.
Public transportation shall remain operational. (With reports from Ellson A. Quismorio, Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat, and Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz)