President Rodrigo Duterte has maintained Metro Manila and some other areas with high number of coronavirus disease cases under the general community quarantine while most parts of the country, under modified GCQ until the end of the year.

In a taped televised message, Duterte said that aside from Metro Manila, the other places under GCQ from December 1 to 31 are Batangas, Iloilo City, Tacloban City, Lanao del Sur, Iligan City, and Davao City.

In a separate statement after the televised message, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that Davao del Norte is also included in the areas to be placed under GCQ during the entire month of December.

"The rest of the country will be under modified general community quarantine from December 1 to 31," Duterte said.

He said cases of COVID-19 in some areas in the country have been increasing because the people go out.

But the President acknowledged that the government could not stop them since they also need to work.

"Can the government afford to feed all?...if they won't go out of their house, can you sustain their lives while inside the house? Nobody is buying food, no one is earning, no work, nothing. That's why they are forced to go out," he said.

However, he reminded the Filipinos to always wear mask and observe other minimum health standards to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

As of November 30, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III reported to Duterte and other members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases that the COVID-19 cases in the country already reached to 431,630 with 24,580 active cases, 398,658 recoveries and 8,392 deaths.

He said the Department of Health continues to prepare the health facilities in the event the COVID-19 cases surge after the holiday.

But he reminded the people not to be complacent during the holiday season.

"It is better to remain in our homes and have a small gathering with the only members of the immediate family so that we and our other family members will not be infected," Duque said. Celerina Monte/DMS