Malacañang said on Thursday that most parts of the Philippines will be under the general community quarantine, except Metro Manila, Laguna and Cebu City, starting May 16.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, however, said some local government units have appealed to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases that their classification be changed to either GCQ or modified enhanced community quarantine.

"I don't know the exact number, but what I know is that Pampanga, Bulacan have appealed that they be included in modified ECQ, while the province of Laguna has appealed that they should be in GCQ," he said.

Under IATF Resolution No. 35, the LGUs which want to appeal their classification could send communication to the task force screening committee until May 13.

After some 40 provinces and 11 cities have been declared as no longer under quarantine for having low-risk coronavirus disease infections, there were appeals from the LGUs to still maintain the quarantine measures to prevent further spread of COVID-19.

With the requests, Roque said the IATF amended Resolution No. 35 .

"The IATF issued amendments to Resolution No. 35 that beginning May 16, the provinces, highly urbanized cities and independent component cities classified as low risk areas will be placed under the general community quarantine," Roque said.

Showing a map of the Philippines during the briefing, Roque said, "now, you can see that the map of the Philippines is 'yellow'."

"All parts of the Philippines are under the general community quarantine, except Metro Manila, the province of Laguna and the city of Cebu, which will be under modified ECQ," he added.

More sectors and businesses are allowed to operate under GCQ, while movement under modified ECQ is still highly restricted as only necessary establishments can operate. Celerina Monte/DMS