Año: Pilot project for granular lockdown in NCR to start Sept. 8

The pilot testing for the granular lockdown in Metro Manila, the center of the country's economy, will begin on September 8, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Sunday.

In a text message to GMA News Online, Año said recommendations from the pilot project will also be sent for approval of President Rodrigo Duterte.

"After the pilot project, it will be assessed and appropriate recommendations will be submitted to the President for approval," he said.

Earlier, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez suggested that the granular lockdown would be better for the economy, which has been suffering from weeks of restrictive community quarantine.

He also said that under granular lockdown, more businesses will be allowed to operate

The Department of the Interior and Local Government had said that granular lockdowns may take the place of the weeks-long imposition of strictest quarantine classification in Metro Manila.

Metro Manila is under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until Sept. 7 to allow authorities in mitigating the spread of the highly contagious Delta coronavirus variant. —LBG, GMA News