Duque says MGCQ not an option in June for current GCQ areas

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Saturday said the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) is not one of the options for those currently under general community quarantine (GCQ) in the Inter-Agency Task Force’s decision on the quarantine classification to be implemented in June.

“Well, hindi puwedeng mag-MGCQ. So pag-uusapan pa ‘yan sa Lunes ‘yung final recommendation bago i-rekomenda sa Talk to the People program ‘yung quarantine classification,” Duque said in an interview with Dobol B TV.

(Well, we cannot go into MGCQ. We will still discuss the final recommendation on Monday before we recommend it during the Talk to the People program.)

Metro Manila and nearby provinces Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna or the National Capital Region Plus were placed under GCQ "with heightened restrictions" from May 15 until May 31, 2021.

Community transmission

Duque also explained that the sudden uptick of cases in the Department of Health’s daily tally is due to the continuous community transmission of the COVID-19.

He said the daily attack rate in the National Capital Region (NCR) is still at seven to eight which is higher than the ideal one to seven cases per 100,000 population.

“Tayo lampas pa ng seven or eight. Ibig sabihin patuloy ang community transmission, ‘di napuputol ang kadena ng hawaan,” he said.

(The daily attack rate is still at seven or eight which means there is continuous community transmission.)

He also mentioned the high cases in other regions which increased the country’s total COVID-19 cases tally on Friday.

“Ang [NCR] mababa ang porsyento ng contribution sa case load, about 16 or 18%. Ang nakakatakot, sa ibang lugar,” he said.

(The NCR has low contribution in the case load with 16 or 18%. What is alarming is the cases in other parts of the country.) 

Duque cited the increase in the number of cases in Iloilo City and Puerto Princesa.

The Health secretary reiterated that the number of cases will still rise if people will be complacent and will not follow the minimum health protocols.

On Friday, the Philippines reported 8,748 fresh COVID-19 cases.

This is the first time that more than 8,000 cases were recorded in 25 days.

The new COVID-19 cases has pushed the active cases in the country to 53,770. The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country reached 1,209,154, of which 1,134,818 recovered and 20,566 died.

NCR mayors are proposing the further easing of restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairperson Benjamin Abalos Jr. on Thursday said the Metro Manila Council met on Wednesday night and agreed to propose to the national government that more businesses be allowed to open and to increase the allowed capacity in establishments. —KG, GMA News