MANILA – Malacañang on Monday denied rumors that the government will place the entire country on lockdown starting Dec. 23, 2020 to Jan. 3, 2021.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque dismissed as “fake news” the reports that went viral over the weekend saying there have been changes to the quarantine classifications announced by President Rodrigo Duterte last Nov. 30.
“Fake news ‘yan,” Roque said during his virtual press conference on Monday. “The community quarantine status was already announced for December. The next classification will be for January 2021.”
President Duterte earlier announced that Metro Manila, the provinces of Batangas and Lanao del Sur, Davao del Norte and cities of Iloilo, Tacloban, Iligan, and Davao will remain under general community quarantine (GCQ) until Dec. 31.
The rest of the country will be under the least stringent modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, for his part, has urged the public to be responsible in sharing information online especially this time that the country is facing coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
“Alamin ang totoo. Huwag maniwala at huwag po magkalat ng fake news lalo na ngayong panahon. Patuloy lang po tayo maging responsable sa sarili at sa pamilya,” Nograles said./PN
