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Metro Manila to revert to ECQ on June 16? That's fake news, says Año

Interior Secretary and National Task Force Against COVID-19 vice chairperson Eduardo Año on Saturday said there is no truth to messages circulating on social media that Metro Manila will revert to enhanced community quarantine on June 16.

“Thats fake news Joseph. Last week of April yata yan na mali mali din,” Ano said in a message sent to GMA News reporter Joseph Morong.

 

 

The message circulating on social media supposedly shows a resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) classifying areas in the country as under low risk, moderate risk, and high risk. Those under low risk supposedly will not be under general community quarantine (GCQ) or enhanced community quarantine (ECQ); those under moderate risk under GCQ; and those under high risk under ECQ. Metro Manila, Laguna and Cebu City were identified in the circulating message as under high risk and will supposedly be placed under ECQ.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Saturday refuted such claims, as President Rodrigo Duterte is set to decide on the fate of the community quarantine in the country on June 15. 

"Wala po ho tayong nailalabas na IATF recommendation ukol sa ating June 15 na decision. So lahat po ng lumalabas sa ngayon wala pa ho 'yang basehan. Hintayin na lang ho nating makapagbigay impormasyon sa atin ang Office of the President pagkatapos magbigay ng IATF recommendation sa Lunes, June 15," Vergeire said when asked at the Laging Handa public briefing.

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Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Saturday said the fate of community quarantine in the country is in Duterte's hands.

“Meron na pong rekomendasyon. Ang rekomendasyon bahala na po si Presidente,” Roque said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

“Nakikita natin na ang numero po medyo hindi bumababa sa Metro Manila at sa Cebu City. Pero kung anong gagawin, iniwan na po kay Presidente,” he said.

The Palace official said Metro Manila and other areas under GCQ may transition to modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), return to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), or remain under GCQ.

The President’s spokesman said Duterte will announce his decision of Monday, June 15— the same day when the GCQ in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, Central Visayas, Pangasinan, Zamboanga City and Davao City expires.

Roque, however, expressed doubt that Metro Manila and Cebu City will shift to a more relaxed MGCQ.

Duterte placed Luzon under ECQ in mid-March. Local government units in Visayas and Mindanao declared their own community quarantines.

The quarantines which were put in place as part of measures to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 were relaxed on May 16, when Metro Manila was placed under MECQ, then again on June 1 when the National Capital Region was placed under GCQ. —KG, GMA News