Metro Manila, 4 provinces shift to ECQ
By Celerina Monte
The Philippine government starts Monday the enforcement of a week-long enhanced community quarantine, the strictest quarantine classification, in Metro Manila and four other nearby provinces with the hope to prevent further spread of coronavirus disease.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced last Saturday following the emergency meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases that the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal will be under ECQ starting 12:01am of March 29 until April 4.
With the ECQ, curfew hours are also prolonged from 6pm to 5am from previous 10pm to 5am.
"Movement is now definitely hampered...movement is generally limited," Roque said.
He said the strict home quarantine in all households will be implemented.
Individuals below 18 years old and over 65 years old, those with immunodeficiency, comorbidity, or other health risks, and pregnant women should remain in their residences at all times, he said.
Roque assured there will be assistance to those affected by the ECQ. But details are still being threshed out as to the specific recipients and how much will be given, he said.
Only allowed to go out are individuals who will access essential goods or services; those working in permitted offices or establishments; and the Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APOR), he said.
For the industries or sectors, which are allowed to operate, such as private establishments providing essential goods and services, media establishments and their total permanent staff complement, and workers accredited by the Department of Transportation should be up to maximum 50 percent operational capacity only, he said.
Establishments which are allowed to operate during the ECQ should provide shuttle service for the workers, Roque said.
During the ECQ, the government, particularly local government units, are required to ensure swift detection of COVID-19 cases and tracing of close contacts and isolation within 24 hours.
Essential and priority construction projects, whether public or private, shall be allowed to continue their operation in accordance with guidelines issued by the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Roque said road, rail, maritime, and aviation sectors of public transportation shall be allowed to operate at such capacity and following the protocols as provided by the Department of Transportation.
Gatherings of more than 10 persons outside of households and gatherings indoor with any persons outside of immediate households are prohibited.
Roque said religious gatherings, which were recently allowed once a day from April 1 to 4 and for a maximum venue capacity of 10 percent, will no longer push through.
Unlike when the ECQ was first implemented last year, Roque said travel pass would not be needed.
Only essential stores, such as groceries, pharmacies, and hardware inside the malls and only take-out and delivery from restaurants are allowed.
Alfresco or open air and dine-in are both barred, said Roque.
Allowed to have full operational capacity are public and private hospitals; health, emergency and frontline services; manufacturers of medicines, medical supplies, devices and equipment; agriculture, forestry, and fishery and their workers, including farmers, agrarian reform beneficiaries, fisherfolk, and agri-fishery stores; and delivery and courier services transporting food, medicine, or other essential goods.
Among the establishments, which are allowed to operate but under skeleton workforce are other medical, dental, rehabilitation, and optometry clinics, pharmacies or drug stores; veterinary clinics; banks, money transfer services; telecommunications companies, internet service providers, cable television providers; manufacturing companies and suppliers such as for construction works like cement and steel; funeral and embalming services; security personnel; real estate activities limited to leasing only; capital markets; water supply and sanitation services and facilities; energy and power companies; airline and aircraft maintenance, pilots and crew, and employees; Philippine Postal Corporation, Philippine Statistics Authority, business process outsourcing, export businesses, printing presses; humanitarian assistance personnel from civil society organizations, non-government organizations, United Nations-Humanitarian Country Teams; and repair and maintenance of machinery and equipment.
The IATF said the government will maximize the speed and impact of the National COVID-19 Vaccination Program.
Roque said there will be an assessment to be made during the one-week ECQ to determine if there is a need to further extend it. DMS
