Palace: Lugaw is essential, food delivery allowed 24/7 during ECQ

Malacanang on Wednesday said "lugaw" or porridge is an essential good as it clarified that food delivery services are allowed to operate beyond curfew hours during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) at NCR Plus bubble.

"A video, which has been circulating online, has come to our attention. Lugaw, or any food item for that matter, is considered an essential good. Delivery of food items must remain unhampered 24/7,"  Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement, in reaction to a viral video of a food delivery rider who was barred from giving a customer's "lugaw."

Roque also appealed to ECQ enforcers to not prohibit food delivery riders at checkpoints.

Under ECQ which is in force until April 4, food delivery services are considered essential and are not restricted by the curfew. 

As of Wednesday, the Philippines reported 747,288 total count of COVID-19 cases nationwide. Of which, 130,245 are active cases, 603,746 are recoveries and  13,297 are deaths.—Consuelo Marquez/LDF, GMA News