Duterte expected to announce on Wednesday quarantine classifications beginning July 16

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

Duterte’s spokesperson Harry Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, which is looking into the appeals of local government units regarding their possible quarantine status, will finalize its recommendation to the President on Tuesday. 

“Datos po ang tinitignan natin kung tayo po’y magluluwag,” Roque said in a televised briefing.

The current quarantine classifications, which included Cebu City being under enhanced community quarantine and Metro Manila under the less stringent general community quarantine—will expire on Wednesday. 

Duterte, who has been in Mindanao since July 3, is set to return to Manila on Monday. 

As of Sunday, the Philippines reported 56,259 COVID-19 cases, with 1,534 deaths and 16,046 recoveries. 

University of the Philippines mathematics professor Dr. Guido David, a member of the group of experts studying the COVID-19 situation in the country, said on Monday that the total number of infections in the Philippines may breach the 80,000 mark by the end of July. —KG, GMA News