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Philippines
Thursday, March 28, 2024

GCQ curbs lifted in MM

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President Rodrigo Duterte has placed Metro Manila under regular general community quarantine (GCQ) from today (Friday) until the end of the month, lifting the additional restrictions that were previously put in place to stem the spread of COVID-19 cases.

The decision came after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) recommended the further easing of restrictions, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said.

Metro Manila mayors have also unanimously decided to allow children aged 5 and above to visit outdoor areas of shopping malls with their parents or guardians, Quezon City mayor Joy Belmonte said.

Rizal and Bulacan, which were also put under GCQ “with some restrictions,” will also be under a more relaxed GCQ beginning today (July 16) Roque said.

Puerto Princesa City, Zamboanga del Norte, Davao Oriental, Surigao del Sur, and Dinagat Islands, which were under the more restrictive modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from July 1 to 15, will also be put under GCQ.

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The GCQ status will also be implemented in Baguio City, Apayao, City of Santiago, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Quezon, Batangas, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Zamboanga Sibugay, City of Zamboanga, General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Cotabato, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Cotabato City.

Roque said the “heightened restrictions” in Cavite will also be lifted beginning on July 16.

Meanwhile, Iloilo City and Iloilo province will stay under a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until July 22, Roque said.

“There might be a possible change in the quarantine classification in Iloilo City and Iloilo if the numbers do not improve,” he said.

Roque said Cagayan de Oro City, Davao Occidental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, and Butuan City will also remain under MECQ from July 16 to 31.

Laguna will remain under GCQ “with heightened restrictions” until the end of July, Roque said.

Cagayan, Lucena City, Naga City, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga del Sur, and Davao City, which were initially under MECQ, will also be under GCQ “with heightened restrictions” until July 31, Roque said.

Roque said the GCQ classification “with heightened restrictions” will also be imposed in Aklan, Bacolod City, Antique, and Capiz from July 16 to 22.

Aklan, Bacolod City, Antique, and Capiz were supposed to be under GCQ sans restrictions for the entire July.

Roque said the rest of the country will remain under the least restrictive modified GCQ (MGCQ).

Metro Manila mayors have agreed to comply with the government’s policy allowing children, ages 5 and above, to go outdoors while the National Capital Region is under the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) or and general community quarantine (GCQ).

On Wednesday, members of the Metro Manila Council signed and issued a resolution urging all local government units in the NCR to create ordinances in accordance with the latest policy allowing minors to go outdoors, without compromising the health and well-being of the children and other people.

The MMC, the governing board and the policy-making body of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, is composed of the 17 mayors in Metro Manila.

The Council resolution stated that LGUs must issue executive orders and/or enact ordinances setting forth the following:

– Listing and identifying allowable outdoor areas or parks, which areas shall be made known to the public through publication by the LGUs of Metro Manila and by MMDA;

– Defining “parks” so as to pertain to al fresco or to those areas which are without roofs even though they are beside an establishment or outside of malls so long as the air is free-flowing;

– Imposing a 50 percent limit in the venue capacity to avoid overcrowding;

– Providing for the deployment of marshals in privately-owned outdoor areas or parks to ensure compliance with the minimum public health standards and protocols;

– Minors must be accompanied by adults; and

– Other conditions which are reasonable under the circumstances as may be determined by the local government units of Metro Manila in order to ensure the promotion and protection of the welfare of the minors.

Abalos said it is important that guidelines and protocols are in place for outdoor places accessible to children aged 5 and above amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

He added that another important factor to be considered is the capacity of the place because overcrowding in open spaces can lead to COVID-19 super spreader events.

The government, meanwhile, is aiming to have pilot sites for face-to-face classes for children, as kids would have the least risk of getting infected with COVID-19, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Wednesday.

At an online forum, Vergeire said the plan has already been discussed with child health experts, the Philippine Pediatric Society and the technical advisory group.

“The plan would be that we would start with the younger age group… because they would have the least risk of getting infected,” Vergeire said.

Vergeire said they have also discussed the plan with the IATF and are still awaiting its approval.

If they receive it, they will propose the idea to President Duterte for his approval.

COVID-19 response adviser and Health Undersecretary Teodoro Herbosa Jr. said vaccination of teachers is dependent on the supply.

Advocacy groups have called for the resumption of face-to-face classes in areas where the risk of COVID-19 transmission is low.

Philippine Business for Education chairperson Ramon del Rosario Jr. said they believe a safe reopening of schools is achievable.

Last month, President Rodrigo Duterte rejected the proposal of the Department of Education (DepEd) to hold limited face-to-face classes.

The President said he did not want to “gamble on the health of the children” as he underscored the importance of vaccination.

Duterte also apologized to the parents for his decision, but noted the risk of the Delta variant.

The health crisis has forced the country to shift to distance learning, which includes the use of modules and supplemented by broadcast and online classes.

The Philippines logged 5,221 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, bringing the total number of infections to 1,490,665.

There were 82 new fatalities, bringing the COVID-19 death toll to 26,314.

The DOH also reported 4,147 new recoveries, bringing the total recoveries to 1,418,856.

There were 45,495 active cases, of which 91.4 percent were mild, 2.1 percent were asymptomatic, 1.7 percent were critical, 2.8 percent were severe, and 1.96 percent were moderate.

Nationwide, 56 percent of the ICU beds, 46 percent of the isolation beds, 42 percent of the ward beds, and 39 percent of the ventilators, were in use.

In Metro Manila, 42 percent of the ICU beds, 39 percent of the isolation beds, 33 percent of the ward beds, and 35 percent of the ventilators, were in use.

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