While major cities and regions like Metro Manila, Laguna, and the City of Cebu will be placed under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), many other parts of the country will transition into general community quarantine (GCQ).
These areas under GCQ have been shown to have a lower risk of COVID-19 cases spreading. As such, restrictions in these respective areas have been eased. This, by no means, is any reason to be complacent. Social distancing and wearing of masks still applies, while travel restrictions will be relaxed.
The Inter-Agency Task Force has released a Resolution No. 35 which lists areas in the Philippines that will be put under ECQ, GCQ, and areas where the community quarantine will be lifted. The agency has listed these areas by region so kindly refer to the graphics to find out if your province is included.
No more community quarantine
First up are the areas in Luzon which are Region 1, Region IV-B, and Region V. These include the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Dagupan City, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Palawan, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, and the cities of Puerto Princesa City, Legazpi City, and Naga City.
In Visayas, Regions VI and VIII are now no longer under CQ. These include the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Western Samar, Southern Leyte, and the cities of Iloilo City, Bacolod City, Ormoc City, and Tacloban City.
In Mindanao, Region X, Region XII, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are no longer placed under CQ. These include the provinces of Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and the cities of Cagayan de Oro City, General Santos City, Cotabato City.
Despite these areas no longer being under ECQ or GCQ, the government said that minimum health standards must be observed in these areas at all times.
“Hanggang walang vaccine kinakailangan minimum health standards. Iyong mga minimum health standards – social distancing, good hygiene, temperature control, temperature checks at iba pang mga pini-prescribe po ngayon ng DOH, (while there is no vaccine, minimum health standards must be done: social distancing, good hygiene, temperature control, temperature checks, and others prescribed by the Department of Health),” said Roque.
General Community Quarantine
Those not listed above are still under GCQ until May 31, 2020, due to the continued risk of COVID-19 transmission. In Luzon, these are Cagayan Valley Region, Region II, Region III, and Region IV-A (except Laguna).
These include the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Aurora, Cavite, Quezon, Rizal, Batangas, and the cities of Baguio City, Santiago City, Angeles City, Olongapo City, and Lucena City.
In the Visayas, GCQ will be maintained in Region VII. This includes the provinces of Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor, and the cities of Mandaue City, and Lapu-lapu City.
In Mindanao, GCQ will be maintained in Region IX, Region XI, and Region XIII (CARAGA). These include the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Suridao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and the cities of Zamboanga City, Isabela City, Davao City, and Butuan City.
ECQ
Finally, the government reminds the public, that the current imposed ECQ in Metro Manila, Region III (except Aurora), Calabarzon, Benguet, Pangasinan, Iloilo, Cebu, Bacolod City, Zamboanga City, and Albay province will officially end on May 15, 2020.
