Metro Manila mayors, IATF agree to ease quarantine, Palace says

MANILA — Metro Manila mayors and the inter-agency task force leading the country’s COVID-19 response have reached an agreement to place the National Capital Region under modified general community quarantine next month, Malacañang said on Friday.

The IATF earlier this week urged President Rodrigo Duterte to place the entire country under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), the lowest of 4 lockdown levels, to boost the economy. 

“Sabihin na lang natin na nagkasundo na ang IATF na nagrekomenda sa ating Presidente na magkaroon na ng MGCQ sa buong Pilipinas at ang mga alkalde sa Metro Manila,” said Duterte’s spokesman Harry Roque. 

(Let us just say that the IATF which recommended that the President place the entire Philippines under MGCQ and the mayors of Metro Manila have agreed.)

“Inaasahan naman natin, dahil mayroon nang ganitong kasunduan sa panig ng IATF at ng mga Metro Manila mayors, e baka naman po sumang-ayon na ang ating Presidente,” he said in a televised announcement. 

(We expect that because of this agreement between the IATF and the Metro Manila mayors, the President might agree.)

The President on Feb. 22 will decide on quarantine levels for March, said Roque. He said he might announce this before the end of February.

Metro Manila, which accounts for about a third of the country’s gross domestic product, is under GCQ, the second least stringent out of 4 lockdown levels, along with the Cordilleras and 6 other areas in February.

The rest are under modified general community quarantine, the loosest quarantine restriction level.

Source: http://bit.ly/3s7IviN