President Rodrigo Duterte's Cabinet has approved the "gradual expansion" of the age group that will be allowed to go out despite the coronavirus disease pandemic.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease, however, has yet to decide the age group although the recommendation was between 15 years old and 65 years old.

"I think we will give some leeway to the IATF to actually fix the age...what was approved was the gradual expansion of the age group allowed to go out," he said.

Currently, the IATF prohibits below 21 years old, those who are 60 years old and above, those with immunodeficiency, comorbidity, or other health risk, and pregnant women, including any person who resides with the aforementioned, shall be required to remain in their residences at all times, except when indispensable under the circumstances for obtaining essential goods and services, or for work in industries and offices or such other activities permitted by the task force.

Also discussed during the Cabinet meeting, which was held on Monday night and presided by Duterte in Malacanang, were incremental opening of the businesses, shorter curfew hours and more work shifts so many could return to work, increase business capacity from 75 percent to 100 percent, and one seat apart in public vehicles, among others.

The IATF would also consider as "last resort" upgrading of quarantine level if the coronavirus disease cases increase, Roque said. Celerina Monte/DMS