15 other areas under MECQ until Sept. 7 where only online worship service is allowed
Reclassification and localized lockdowns to be implemented in case of COVID-19 spike and clustering
(Eagle News) — The Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila will be extended until September 7, aside from 15 other areas with high COVID-19 cases, according to Malacanang which also announced other community quarantine classifications for the rest of the country.
This is “without prejudice to their reclassification as may be warranted and the declaration of localized Enhanced Community Quarantine in critical areas.”
The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) decided to retain the MECQ in the National Capital Region amid the continuing rise in COVID-19 cases particularly largely caused by the Delta variant community transmission.
-Areas under MECQ-
The following provinces and cities are placed under MECQ until Sept. 7:
For Luzon: a. National Capital Region; b. Apayao; c. Ilocos Norte; d. Region III: Bulacan and Bataan; and e. Region IV-A: Cavite, Lucena City, Rizal, and Laguna.
For Visayas: a. Region VI: Aklan, Iloilo Province, Iloilo City; b. Region VII: Lapu-lapu City, Cebu City, and Mandaue City;
For Mindanao: Cagayan de Oro City.
For Metro Manila, Bataan, and Laguna, the following guidelines shall be observed, according to the IATF based on its resolution no. 135-A dated Aug. 26, 2021:
1. “Indoor and al fresco dine-in services, and personal care services including beauty salons, beauty parlors, barbershops, and nail spas shall not be allowed.”
2. “Pastors, priests, rabbis, imams, or other religious ministers and their assistants may conduct religious services performed through online video recording and transmission, necrological services, wakes, inurnment, and funerals, and they shall be allowed to move for such purposes.” The IATF said “immediate family members of the deceased who died of causes other than COVID-19 shall be allowed to move from their residences to attend the wake or interment of the deceased upon satisfactory proof of their relationship” with the dead. They should also fully comly with the prescribed minimum public health standards for the duration of the activity
-Areas under GCQ with heightened restrictions-
The IATF also identified the following provinces and citied to be placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions until Sept. 7, 2021. This is “without prejudice to their reclassification as may be warranted and the declaration of localized Enhanced Community Quarantine in critical areas.”
For Luzon: a. Ilocos Sur; b. Cagayan, c. Region IV-A: Quezon, and Batangas; and, d. Naga City.
For Visayas: a. Region VI: Antique, Bacolod City, and Capiz; and, b. Region VII: Cebu Province and Negros Oriental.
For Mindanao: a. Zamboanga del Sur; b. Misamis Oriental; c. Region XI: Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao Occidental, and Davao de Oro; and d. Butuan City.
-Areas under GCQ-
Meanwhile, here are the areas under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) until Sept. 7:
For Luzon: a. Baguio; b. Region II: Santiago City, Quirino, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya; c. Tarlac; and d. Puerto Princesa.
For Visayas: a. Region VI: Guimaras and Negros Occidental.
For Mindanao: a. Region IX: Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte; b. Region XI: Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur; c. Region XII: Gen. Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato, and South Cotabato; d. Region XIII (CARAGA): Agusan Del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao Del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Dinagat Islands; and e. Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) – Cotabato City
All the other areas will be under Modified GCQ.
In all the community quarantine classifications are “without prejudice to their reclassification as may be warranted and the declaration of localized Enhanced Community Quarantine in critical areas,” according to the IATF.
(Eagle News Service)