Enhanced community quarantine means lockdown in Luzon, says Año

The enhanced community quarantine being implemented in the whole of Luzon should be considered as a total lockdown, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said on Tuesday.

According to a series of tweets by GMA News’ Mariz Umali, Año said only health workers, bank employees, and those working in food stores were exempted from the directive.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night declared the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon to stop the further spread of COVID-19.

DILG Sec. Eduardo Año clariefies enhanced community quarantinw means total lockdown in Luzon. Only health workers, bank employees, food stores, those in communications are exempted. @gmanews

— Mariz Umali (@marizumali) March 17, 2020

He said companies which would still require their employees to go to work even when they were not exempted from the enhanced quarantine must be stripped of their business permits.

Año said public transportation vehicles were also banned from plying their respective routes.

He said companies should provide the transport services of their workers who are exempted from the enhanced quarantine.

Earlier, Año said the government is eyeing to provide a specific public vehicle which will transport health workers.

This came after a number of health workers were stranded as they have no means of transportation to report to work.

Duterte placed the entire Luzon under enhanced community quarantine due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases.

As of latest data from the Department of Health, the number of confirmed cases rose to 187. —NB, GMA News