Palace says NCR ready for GCQ but public should still be careful

The National Capital Region is ready to shi to the general community quarantine due to the slower doubling rate of COVID-19 but Malacañang reminded the public yesterday to still stay at home as the region would still be under lockdown.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after a supposed copy of Resolution No. 40 of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases surfaced online early yesterday.

Roque did not confirm the legitimacy of the document but said that the fate of the community quarantine in NCR is still dependent on the cooperation of the public.

"NCR is ready from the data that we have seen but that really depends on the cooperation of everyone," he said.

"Kahit ano'ng anunsyo ng Presidente mamayang gabi, puwede tayong bumalik sa ECQ muli kung ang datos ay magpapakita na napakabilis na naman ng doubling rate," he added.

Roque, however, expressed confidence that the public will continue to comply with the quarantine guidelines.

"The level of confidence is very high. Napatunayan ng mga Pilipino na kaya nilang sumunod dahil naman by and large more than 70 days na tayong nagkaroon ng ECQ at MECQ at pinatunayan natin na disiplinado naman ang mga Pilipino," he said.

President Duterte announced last night the fate of the quarantine in the different parts of the country. A leaked resolution showed that Metro Manila will be placed under the GCQ from June 1 to June 15 while all identified highrisk barangays within the National Capital Region shall be subject to the zoning concept implemented by the National Task Force on COVID-19.

Both Roque and Communications Secretary Martin Andanar refused to confirm the legitimacy of the leaked resolution, saying they will leave the announcement to the President.

Roque had earlier said that the procedure in Malacañang is they can only officially announce when papers are released.