NCR Plus now under ‘GCQ with heightened restrictions’

METRO Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal were placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) with “heightened restrictions” from May 15 to May 31 amid a decline in new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to ease the quarantine restrictions in the NCR Plus.

Also under GCQ until the end of the month are the Cordillera Administrative Region, such as Apayao, Baguio City, Benguet, Kalinga, Mountain Province and Abra; Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya in Region 2; Batangas and Quezon in Region 4-A; Puerto Princesa in Region 4-B; Iligan City in Region 10; Davao City in Region 11; and Lanao del Sur in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The President placed the City of Santiago and Quirino Province in Region 2; Ifugao in the Cordillera Administrative Region; and Zamboanga City in Region 9 under modified enhanced community quarantine until May 31.

The rest of the country is under modified general community quarantine.

On the heightened restrictions in the NCR Plus, Roque said that “only essential travel into and out of the NCR Plus shall be allowed.”

“Public transportation shall remain operational at such capacities and protocols in accordance with the Department of Transportation guidelines while the use of active transportation shall be promoted,” he said.

Indoor dine-in services in NCR Plus “shall be at 20 percent venue or seating capacity while outdoor or al fresco dining shall be at 50 percent venue or seating capacity.”

Outdoor tourist attractions may be opened at 30 percent capacity.

Roque said that religious gatherings and gatherings for necrological services, wakes, inurnment and funerals for those who died of causes other than Covid-19 in NCR Plus shall be allowed up to 10 percent of the venue capacity.

“Also continued to be allowed in GCQ areas with heightened restrictions are non-contact sports in outdoor contact sports, games, scrimmages; and personal care services that allow for services not requiring mask removal, such as salons, parlors, beauty clinics, etc at 30 percent capacity,” he said.

“Individuals, 18-65 years of age, can leave their places of residence in GCQ areas with heightened restrictions,” he added.

However, entertainment venues such as bars, concert halls, theaters, internet cafes, billiards halls, arcades, amusement parks, fairs, playgrounds, kiddie rides; indoor sports courts and venues and indoor tourist attractions shall not be allowed in GCQ areas with heightened restrictions.

“Interzonal travel from NCR Plus areas, except those conducted by Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APORs), shall remain prohibited in GCQ areas with heightened restrictions,” Roque said.