Duterte OKs COVID-19 quarantine restrictions for July

President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the government task force's recommendation to place several areas under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until July 15 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Malacañang announced on Tuesday.

These areas, according to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, are:

• Cagayan
• Apayao
• Bataan
• Lucena City
• Puerto Princesa
• Naga City
• Iloilo City
• Iloilo
• Negros Oriental
• Zamboanga Del Sur
• Zamboanga Del Norte
• Cagayan De Oro City
• Davao City
• Davao Oriental
• Davao Occidental
• Davao De Oro
• Davao Del Sur
• Davao Del Norte
• Butuan City
• Dinagat Islands and
• Surigao Del Sur

GCQ

Meanwhile, Metro Manila, Rizal and Bulacan will be under general community quarantine (GCQ) "with some restrictions" while Laguna and Cavite will be under GCQ "with heightened restrictions" until until July 15, 2021.

READ: What's allowed under MECQ, GCQ, GCQ with heightened restrictions, GCQ with some restrictions

The following areas, meanwhile, will be under GCQ for the entire July:

• Baguio City,
• Ifugao,
• City of Santiago,
• Isabela,
• Nueva Vizcaya,
• Quirino,
• Batangas,
• Quezon,
• Guimaras,
• Aklan,
• Bacolod City,
• Negros Occidental,
• Antique,
• Capiz,
• Zamboanga Sibugay,
• City of Zamboanga,
• Iligan City,
• General Santos City,
• Sultan Kudarat,
• Sarangani,
• Cotabato,
• South Cotabato,
• Agusan del Norte,
• Surigao del Norte,
• Agusan del Sur,
• Cotabato City.

The rest of the country will be under modified GCQ, according to Malacañang.

Roque in his press briefing said a revised list of quarantine classifications would likely be released on Wednesday.

He said local government units had until Tuesday night to appeal their respective classifications.

Roque said there would be no second televised briefing with Duterte this week.

"Baka tayo na po ang mag-a-anunsiyo ng final kasi binigyan po hanggang mamayang gabi ang mga LGUs para mag-apela at magkakaroon kami ng IATF meeting on Wednesday kung saan aaprubahan po iyong final quarantine classification," Roque said.

[Maybe I will be the one to announce the new quarantine restrictions because LGUs can still appeal this and there is another IATF meeting on this on Wednesday.]

He said the IATF meeting would be at 2 p.m. on Wednesday.

"I will either issue a statement or record an announcement, pagkatapos po ng IATF meeting," he added. —KBK/NB, GMA News