ECQ, MECQ, GCQ, and MGCQ: What should you expect?

On May 28, President Rodrigo Duterte has announced that Metro Manila and other places will be placed under the general community quarantine (GCQ) beginning June 1, Monday.

However, there still seems to be a lot of confusion about the quarantine protocols. So, if you're still puzzled about the differences between the four types of community quarantine, below is a detailed guide of what to expect in each type and where they will be implemented.

Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ)

1) Stringent limitations on movement and transportation of people

2) Strict regulations on businesses that are allowed to operate, mostly only those that provide essential goods and services, such as grocery stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, and restaurants (for take-out and delivery only)

3) Provision of relief goods

4) Heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce ECQ protocols

Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ)

1) Relaxed implementation of measures limiting movement and transportation of people (riding bikes and exercising outdoors allowed)

2) More businesses are allowed to operate, including manufacturing and processing plants and select stores or shops in malls

3) Limited relief goods

4) Heightened presence of uniformed personnel become less necessary

What's the difference between ECQ and modified ECQ?

According to DILG Secretary Eduarado Año, Cebu City was supposed to be placed under MECQ while Baguio and Iloilo City under GCQ. However, these cities have sent their appeals.

General Community Quarantine (GCQ)

1) Public transportation is allowed to operate but within limited capacity, and the implementation of this will be in two phases.

2) More businesses and industries are allowed to operate such as malls, spas, hardware stores, construction, real estate, government offices, TV, film, and music production, auto repair shops, automobile companies, and many others (salons and barbershops to reopen on June 7)

3) Checkpoints in provincial borders are still going to implement strict protocols

4) No need for barangay-issued quarantine pass in travels within GCQ provinces

5) Travel pass is required when traveling from one province to another

6) Leisure travel is still not allowed

7) Uniformed personnel are still going to be present to enforce GCQ protocols

8) Under the GCQ, the government can still implement targeted lockdown on barangays that have high numbers of COVID-19 cases.

Places that will be put under GCQ starting June 1 are Metro Manila, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Bataan, Bulacan, Pamapanga, Laguna at Bacoor.

And those that have been previously under GCQ and will remain to do so are Davao, Region II, Region III, Region IV-A, Pangasinan and Albay.

According to President Duterte the government still needs to review the general situation in these places to know whether they are qualified to move on to the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).

PHASE 1 (June 1-21)

These are the vehicles allowed during the first phase of the GCQ:

• MRT and LRT (10-12% capacity)
• PNR (35% capacity)
• -Buses (Bus augmentation and point-to-point buses only; provincial buses are banned from entering Metro Manila during Phase 1 of GCQ)
• Taxis
• TNVS (Grab, Owto, etc.)
• Shuttle services
• Bicycles
• Tricycles (subject to prior approval of concerned local government units)
• Airplanes (domestic flights in GCQ to GCQ destinations)

PHASE 2 (June22-30)

During Phase 2, the following will be allowed to operate, along with vehicles allowed during Phase 1, but with limited passenger capacity:

• Public utility buses
• Modern PUVs or jeepneys
• UV Express

GUIDELINES

The Department of Transportation has issued guidelines that should be observed by the road transport sector during the GCQ:

• Wearing of face mask all the time
• Temperature checks using thermal scanner
• Implementing no-contact measures such as cashless payments
• Availability of alcohol and hand sanitizers in PUVs
• Disinfection of high-touch surfaces in vehicles
• Having disinfection facilities in public transport terminals
• Contact tracing

Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ)

1) Relaxed measures on limiting movement and transportation of people

2) More businesses are allowed to resume operations

3) Uniformed personnel are still present to enforce MGCQ protocols

4) Transition phase to the 'new normal'

Other provinces or regions not mentioned in President Duterte's announcement are said to be automatically under the MGCQ.

National Task Force Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez, Jr. said that Bohol and Baguio are among the top candidates that may soon graduate to the 'new normal'.

Watch Joseph Morong's full report about the community quarantine on Unang Balita below.

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