Govt places NCR under GCQ from Sept. 8-30

by: SUSAN G. DE LEON

CALOOCAN CITY, (PIA) -- The National Government has placed Metro Manila under general community quarantine (GCQ) starting Sept. 8 to 30 amid the spread of the more transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant, Malacañang announced on Monday.

Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque said granular lockdown will be pilot tested in Metro Manila during the GCQ period, however, "there is no guidelines yet."

"There are no guidelines yet since the Inter-Agency Task Force is yet to adopt a Resolution on granular lockdown," Roque said.

He said details regarding granular lockdowns will be issued on Tuesday, Sept 7.

The capital region was earlier placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) -- the strictest quarantine classification -- from Aug. 6 to 20 amid the Delta variant surge.

Then, the quarantine classification has been downgraded to a more relaxed modified ECQ (MECQ), which will be in effect until Sept. 7. MECQ partially allows non-essential services to operate.

Roque said among the features of the new granular lockdowns include the provision of "ayuda" and food, as well as travel restrictions imposed on authorized persons outside residence (APOR).

"Iyong APOR po, you can leave but you cannot go back. Wala na pong APOR na labas pasok. Magbibigay po tayo ng ayuda sa mga granular lockdown, pati pagkain, ibibigay ng gobyerno. Iyon po ang bagong feature, inaasahan po natin na magiging mas epektibo ito (APOR cannot go back and forth to their homes. We will grant aid, including food. Those are the new features that is why we expect this to be more effective)," he said.

"That is the nature of piloting it. To see if it will work," Roque added. (PIA-NCR)