NCR under GCQ with heightened restrictions from August 1 to August 15, 2021

President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases' recommendation to extend the general community quarantine with heightened restrictions in Metro Manila from August 1 to 15.

According to his spokesman Harry Roque, Duterte also indicated his approval of the IATF's recommendation to retain the enhanced community quarantine  classification of Iloilo City and Iloilo province in Region 6,  and Cagayan de Oro City and Gingoog City in Region 10 from August 1 until August 7.

Under modified enhanced community quarantine classification are Ilocos Norte in Region 1; Bataan in Region 3; and Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City in Region 7 from August 1 until August 15, 2021.

The continued GCQ with heightened restrictions in Metro Manila was imposed even after experts from the OCTA Research Team recommended a "circuit breaker" lockdown for one to two weeks starting August 1 as the cases continued to rise in the region.

Metro Manila is currently averaging 1,000 new COVID-19 cases per day, according to OCTA Research expert Dr. Guido David.

OCTA Research said the early stages of a surge could possibly be due to the sprouting of Delta variant cases.

The Philippines recorded 119 cases of the more contagious variant. Of the number, four have died.

Aside from Metro Manila, areas under GCQ with heightened restrictions are:

• Ilocos Sur in Region 1;
• Cagayan in Region 2;
• Bulacan in Region 3;
• Laguna, Lucena City,
• Cavite and Rizal in Region 4-A;
• Naga City in Region 5;
• Antique, Aklan, Bacolod City and Capiz in Region 6;
• Negros Oriental in Region 7;
• Zamboanga del Sur in Region 9;
• Misamis Oriental in Region 10;
• Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro and Davao Occidental in Region 11;
• and Butuan City in CARAGA.

Here are the areas under GCQ for the whole month of August:

• Baguio City and Apayao in the Cordillera Administrative Region;
• City of Santiago, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino in Region 2;
• Quezon and Batangas in Region 4-A;
• Puerto Princesa in Region 4-B;
• Guimaras and Negros Occidental in Region 6;
• Zamboanga Sibugay, City of Zamboanga and Zamboanga del Norte in Region 9;
• Davao Oriental and Davao del Sur in Region 11;
• General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and South Cotabato in Region 12;
• Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Sur in CARAGA and Cotabato City in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

The rest of the Philippines will be placed under Modified GCQ from August 1 to August 31.

Duterte said there was a need for the public to follow the quarantine restrictions to prevent a surge of the coronavirus disease cases.

He said that there was "really a pandemic in the true sense of the word" in other countries such as Indonesia and Thailand.

Duterte said that unvaccinated persons should stay at home to prevent transmission of the disease.

"Basta sinabi ko inuutusan ko mga barangay captain na huwag kang palabasin ng bahay kung wala kang bakuna," Duterte said. —NB, GMA News