By Alec Go and NG Seruela
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced on Sunday (April 11) that the government has downgraded the community quarantine classification over Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until April 30.
Also placed under MECQ were the City of Santiago, Quirino, and Abra (April 12 to 30). Areas placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) were Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Batangas, Tacloban City, Iligan City, Davao City, Lanao del Sur, and Quezon (April 12 to 30), while the rest of the Philippines is placed under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).
This came after select members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) held a meeting on this and other topics on Saturday.
The Greater Manila Areas were placed under a week-long enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) last March 29, which was extended until April 11. This came after the NCR Plus Bubble policy that was implemented on March 22, before the start of Holy Week on March 28. This is a quarantine protocol that prohibits entry into and exit from the bubble covering Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal.
MECQ guidelines
Meanwhile, the IATF shared their Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines, with amendments as of April 3.
The guidelines define MECQ as “the transition phase between ECQ and GCQ, when the following temporary measures are relaxed and become less necessary: stringent limits on movement and transportation of people, strict regulation of operating industries, provision of food and essential services, and heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce community quarantine protocols.”
Some of the MECQ guidelines are:
- Minimum public health standards shall be complied with at all times for the duration of the MECQ.
- Strict home quarantine shall be observed in all households. The movement of all persons shall be limited to accessing essential goods and services, and for work in permitted offices or establishments or such other activities allowed in the guidelines.
- Persons aged below 18 and over 65, those with immunodeficiency, comorbidity, or other health risks, and pregnant women shall be required to remain in their residences at all times, except for obtaining essential goods and services, or for work in industries and offices or such other activities allowed in the guidelines.
- The establishments and industries allowed to operate, work, or be undertaken during ECQ may continue operating at full onsite capacity, while those not allowed to during ECQ shall be allowed to operate at 50% on-site capacity, with work-from-home and other flexible arrangements encouraged.
- Among the businesses not allowed to operate under MECQ are entertainment venues with live performers, recreational venues, amusement parks, indoor and outdoor tourist attractions, personal care service facilities, and indoor dining of restaurants and eateries.
- Gatherings outside of residences shall be prohibited, while gatherings at residences with any person outside of one’s immediate household shall likewise be prohibited.
- Religious gatherings shall be allowed up to 10% of the venue capacity, provided that there is no objection from the local government unit (LGU) where the religious gathering may take place. The LGU may increase the allowable venue capacity up to 30%.
- Gatherings for necrological services, wakes, inurnment, and funerals for those who died of causes other than COVID-19 shall be allowed, provided that the same shall be limited to immediate family members, who shall observe the minimum prescribed health protocols during the activity.
- Face-to-face or in-person classes shall be suspended.
- The road, rail, maritime, and aviation sectors of public transportation shall be allowed to operate at such capacity and protocols in accordance with guidelines issued by the Department of Transportation. The use of active transportation such as biking is encouraged.
- Uniform curfew hours may be imposed by LGUs, subject to the guidelines issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). Workers, cargo vehicles, public transportation, and operating hours of permitted establishments, however, shall not be restricted by such curfew.
- Individual outdoor exercises such as outdoor walks, jogging, running or biking, are allowed within the general area of their residence, e.g. within the barangay, purok, subdivision, and/or village, provided that the minimum public health standards and precautions such as the wearing of face masks, and the maintenance of social distancing protocols are observed.
See the full Omnibus Guidelines at: https://iatf.doh.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/20210403-OMNIBUS-RRD.pdf
StaySafe.PH system
In his briefing on Sunday, Roque also said that based on IATF-EID Resolution No.109, the task force approved the National Economic and Development Authority’s (NEDA) recommendation to “further strengthen and improve” the use of the StaySafe.PH system through automatic contact tracing using the Smart Messaging System.
An initial beta-testing of all contact tracing applications in the StaySafe.PH system will be conducted on May 1 to ensure their interoperability and integration.
The IATF-EID also adopted the recommendation for an immediate completion of the transfer ownership of the COVID-19 document repository system (CDRS) to the Department of Health (DOH) and the immediate integration of the CDRS with the StaySafe.PH system along with the local contact tracing systems and applications.
The DILG has been tasked to be the “overall lead” in the implementation of the system, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) as the lead for national interoperability of the system, while the DOH is directed to ensure the integration of the StaySafe.PH system with the CDRS.
Walk-in, drive-thru vaccination centers at Nayong Pilipino
The task force also ratified the proposal endorsed by the Department of Tourism (DOT) to establish temporary public walk-ins and drive-thru vaccination centers in the vacant lot located at the Nayong Pilipino property at Parañaque City.
New COVID-19 ICU beds
Roque also said that public and private hospitals have committed to allocate 164 COVID-19 ICU beds for critical cases and 1,157 regular beds for moderate and severe cases as of April 11.
Meanwhile, already on hand are 110 beds in the Quezon Institute for moderate and severe COVID-19 cases, 960 beds in the National Center for Mental Health for moderate COVID-19 cases, 330 beds in Manila Times College in Subic for mild and asymptomatic cases, 165 beds in New Clark City, Tarlac for mild and asymptomatic, 200 beds in Eva Macapagal Terminal in Manila for mild and asymptomatic cases, and 100 beds in Orion Bataan Port Terminal for mild and asymptomatic.
Sec. Roque said the total number of additional beds added while NCR+ was under ECQ is 2,156: 164 COVID ICU beds, 2,227 COVID regular beds for moderate and severe cases, and 765 COVID isolation beds for mild and asymptomatic cases
He added that the utilization rate including the new beds is at 74.34% for COVID ICU beds, COVID ward beds at 46.04%, and 59.56% for COVID isolation beds.
Curfew hours
The Metro Manila Council has resolved to impose curfew hours of 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. in the National Capital Region under MECQ, according to Metro Manila Development Chairperson Benhur Abalos, Jr.
