Malacañang announced on Friday, July 30, that Metro Manila will be placed under the most restrictive enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) starting August 6.

President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) to shift back the National Capital Region (NCR) under ECQ from August 6 to August 20, 2021.

In an announcement aired over state-run PTV News, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Metro Manila will stay under general community quarantine (GCQ) “with heightened restrictions” from July 30 to August 5 and will shift to ECQ from August 6 to 20.

“Hindi po naging madali ang desisyon na ito. Maraming oras ang ginugol para pagdebatehan ang bagay na ito (It is not an easy decision. We have spent so much time to debate on the proposal [to place Metro Manila under ECQ]),” Roque said.

The quarantine status of the capital was supposed to retain its GCQ with heightened restriction classification until August 15. However, Metro Manila mayors have urged the IATF-MEID to implement a two-week ECQ in NCR to prevent the spread of the more infectious Delta coronavirus variant.

Based on the IATF guidelines, indoor dine-in services and al fresco dining are prohibited under ECQ. Only take-out and delivery are allowed. Moreover, beauty salon, barbershops, nail spas, and other personal care outlets may operate up to 30 percent of the venue or seating capacity.

Indoor sports courts and venues, as well as other indoor tourist attractions, are not allowed. However, outdoor attractions may continue to accept visitors up to 30 percent of the venue capacity, as defined by the Department of Tourism. 

Meanwhile, religious gatherings will not be allowed in person, and “gathering for necrological services, wakers, inurnment, and funerals for those who died of a cause other than COVID-19 shall be allowed, provided they are limited to immediate family members.”

In addition, only Authorized Persons Outside their Residences shall be allowed to travel into and out of the NCR Plus Area, including Cavite, Bulacan, Laguna, and Rizal. – WhatALife.ph

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