MANILA – Soon, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) quarantine classification in Western Visayas and elsewhere would just be two – either enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) or general community quarantine (GCQ).
According to Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, this policy shift was provisionally approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) and would be pilot-tested in the National Capital Region (NCR) on Sept. 16.
This version of GCQ would be different – the IATF still declaring it but the local government units would now determine their “alert level”.
“Ang pupuwede at hindi pupuwede sa GCQ ay depende po sa alert level na nakapataw sa lugar. Ito po ay magiging kada siyudad at kada munisipyo,” Roque said.
Under Alert Level 4, the highest risk classification of the GCQ, dine-in at restaurants, personal services, and mass gatherings will not be allowed.
“Lahat po ng areas ay magpapatupad ng granular lockdowns sang-ayon po sa guidelines ng IATF. Ang pagkakaiba po nito ang mga lockdowns na ito ay mas istrikto,” Roque said.
There will also be changes on who are considered Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APORs) under the granular lockdown; it would be limited to health workers and health professionals.
Government officials and employees residing in areas under localized lockdowns are also not allowed to go out of their residences; they may resort to a work-from-home setup.
Other specifics of the policy shift would be announced soon, Roque said.
Until the end of September, Western Visayas will remain under the large-scale community quarantine system with Iloilo city and province on modified enhanced community quarantine.
Bacolod City, Capiz and Antique are under GCQ with heightened restrictions, while Negros Occidental, Guimaras and Aklan are under the regular GCQ./PN