Metro Manila mayors agree to extend GCQ in NCR

The Metro Manila Council is unanimously in favor of extending the general community quarantine in the National Capital Region, MMC chairman and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez said Tuesday.

“Doon po sa pagmi-meeting namin ang consensus po ng karamihan ng ating Metro Manila mayors ay extended po ‘yong GCQ. ‘Yan po ‘yong consensus ng bawat isa sa amin,” Olivarez said in an interview on Dobol b sa News TV.

He added there will be slight changes in the GCQ to give way to the reopening of the economy but health protocols will not be sacrificed.

“Hybrid GCQ na mayroon pong kaunting bubuksan para naman po magkaroon ng hanapbuhay at ekonomiya ang ating pong Metro Manila,” Olivarez said.

He said the Inter-Agency Task Force is looking into allowing restaurants to operate at 50% seating capacity for dine-in customers.

“Pinag-aaralan pa ng IATF kung paano po ‘yong pagbubukas ng economy without sacrificing ‘yong ating health protocols. Hindi puwedeng i-prejudice ang ating health protocols dahil alam naman natin na dumadami ang ating cases dito sa buong NCR,” Olivarez said.

“Tinitignan po nila (IATF) pero wala pang final kasi ngayon ang dine-in natin nasa 30% sa mga restaurants. Pinag-aaralan ng IATF kung gagawing 50% ‘yong ating dine-in,” he added.

Meanwhile, Olivarez said religious gatherings will remain at 10% seating capacity for the “mean time.”

Moreover, he said the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board is also assessing whether to add more public utility vehicles on the road.

“Alam naman po natin na hirap na hirap po ating commuters eh. Kulang na kulang po ang ating public utility vehicles so ‘yan pa po ‘yong pagdadagag ng pagbubukas ng ating mga public utility vehicles over NCR,” he said.

On Monday, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte will likely announce on Wednesday the new quarantine classifications to be implemented across the country beginning July 16.

Roque said the IATF, which is looking into the appeals of local government units regarding their possible quarantine status, will finalize its recommendation to the president on Tuesday.—AOL, GMA News