NCR mayors still discussing proposed quarantine classification after July 15 —Olivarez

Metro Manila mayors will decide within the day on what quarantine classification it would recommend for the region next, according to Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez on Wednesday.

Metro Manila, or National Capital Region, is under general community quarantine (GCQ) "with some restrictions" until Thursday, July 15.  Also under the same classification are Rizal and Bulacan provinces.

"Nag-uusap pa rin po ang MMC [MMC is still discussing about it]," Olivarez told Super Radyo dzBB, referring to the Metro Manila Council of which he is the chairman.

"Within the day ay maaayos ang recommendation ng MMC and we'll announce through our MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) chairman [Benhur] Abalos," he added.

The recommendation will then be forwarded to the IATF or the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases for its consideration.

The IATF is the government's policy-making body in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Olivarez, though the numbers are decreasing as far as new infections are concerned in many areas in Metro Manila, they cannot still afford to let their guard down.

"Patuloy na bumababa [ang bilang] pero hindi pa rin tayo puwedeng mag-relax, kelangan meron pa ring strict compliance [sa health protocols]," he said.

(There's been a decrease in the numbers but that doesn't mean we should relax. Strict compliance to health protocols is still needed.)

According to the latest report by the OCTA Research group, the average number of new COVID-19 cases in NCR from July 6 to July 12 was 2% lower than last week’s.

The group also said the reproduction number in NCR was recorded at 0.93 over the same period. A reproduction number of one or higher is an indication of the continuous transmission of the virus.

Meanwhile, the average daily attack rate (ADAR) in the NCR was recorded at 4.59 per day per 100,000 while the positivity rate remained at 6% with 22,000 tests per day. —KBK, GMA News