Gov't places Ilocos Norte under MECQ from Sept. 8 to 30, 2021

Ilocos Norte will be under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from September 8 to 30, Malacañang said Tuesday.

Roque initially announced that Ilocos Norte will be under the less restrictive general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions, a protocol that partially allows non-essential services to operate but bans indoor or outdoor dining and prohibits opening of personal care services.

Other areas which will be under MECQ for the rest of September include Apayao, Bataan, Bulacan, Cavite, Lucena City, Rizal, Laguna, Iloilo province, Iloilo City and Cagayan de Oro City.

Meanwhile, Roque said details regarding the pilot run of granular lockdown in Metro Manila, which will be under GCQ from September 8 to 30, are not yet final.

“Pinaplantsa pa po [It is still being ironed out],” Roque said at a press briefing.

Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, which formulates the government's pandemic response policies, will meet at 3 p.m. on Tuesday to finalize the details.

"To be fair, it (granular lockdown details) will take effect a day after tomorrow. We will be reasonable,” Roque said.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez earlier said that a granular lockdown is much desirable for the economy.

He said under granular lockdown, some businesses will be able to operate but scaled depending on the specified alert level.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairperson Benhur Abalos said the alert level of the concerned area will be determined by the Department of Health.

Abalos said under the alert level system, limits on capacities of certain sectors and industries will be imposed.

Abalos said three would be three Cs under the new system -- "close-contact," which involves personal care services; "crowded" like churches, conventions and exhibitions; and "closed spaces" like restaurants.

Alert Level 1, he said, would allow all three C sectors to operate, while Alert Level 4 would prohibit them from opening and accepting customers.

Alert Level 2, meanwhile, would limit the capacity of the three C sectors to 50%. For Alert Level 2 it would be 30%. —KBK, GMA News