Cebu, where 2 “variants of concern” had been confirmed, to remain under MGCQ
(Eagle News) — Metro Manila, and the cities of Baguio, Davao, Iligan and Tacloban, as well as five other provinces will be under General Community Quarantine for March, according to Malacanang.
The five other provinces are Kalinga, Mt. Province and Batangas in Luzon, and Lanao del Sur in Mindanao.
Cebu where the Department of Health has earlier noted the presence of two variants of concern was however not placed under GCQ, but remained under the more relaxed Modified General Community Quarantine protocols.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the announcements over state-run PTV 4 on Saturday, Feb. 27.
After announcing the 10 areas under GCQ, he said that the rest of the country will be under MGCQ.
President Rodrigo Duterte has earlier rejected the proposal of the economic cluster of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to place the entire country under MGCQ.
He cited the safety and health of the public in maintaining his stance that Metro Manila and other areas under GCQ in February would remain under the same quarantine protocol and not shift to MGCQ this March.
This decision came about amid the presence of new variants of the COVID-19 virus that were found to be more infectious than the original strain.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia has also announced that the province would welcome tourists and will not require them to undergo routine swab tests, saying the local government has the autonomy to do this.
She said that Cebu has the necessary health protocols to contain the spread of COVID-19, even with the emergence of the new variants of concern.
(Eagle News Service)
