Areas under enhanced community quarantine, general community quarantine

President Rodrigo Duterte has extended the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and other parts of the country by two weeks until May 15 to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Duterte’s spokesperson Harry Roque announced in a televised briefing aired on Friday that the enhanced community quarantine would continue in the following areas:

• Metro Manila
• Batangas
• Cavite
• Laguna
• Rizal
• Quezon
• Oriental Mindoro
• Occidental Mindoro
• Albay
• Catanduanes
• Bataan
• Bulacan
• Nueva Ecija
• Pampanga
• Tarlac (quarantine status may change by April 30)
• Benguet (quarantine status may change by April 30)
• Pangasinan (quarantine status may change by April 30)
• Zambales (quarantine status may change by April 30)

Duterte also placed some areas in Visayas and Mindanao under ECQ but subject to reassessment:

• Antique
• Iloilo
• Aklan
• Capiz
• Cebu
• Cebu City
• Davao del Norte
• Davao City
• Davao de Oro

Areas considered by the government to have moderate to low risk for COVID-19 spread will be placed under general community quarantine starting on May 1. These are: Abra, Ilocos Norte La Union, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Marinduque, Camarines Sur, Capiz, Samar, Western Samar, Zamboanga Del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Maguindanao

Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Sur, Apayao, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Kalinga, Ilocos Sur, Batanes, Quirino, Aurora, Palawan, Romblon, Camarines Norte, Sorsogon, Masbate, Guimaras, Bohol, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Southern Leyte, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Bukidnon, Camiguin, Davao Occidental, Sarangani, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Island, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Basilan, Sulu.

According to Malacañang, the decision whether to place an area under ECQ or GCQ was based on the risk of outbreak.

The enhanced community quarantine entails sweeping restrictions on travel and mass gatherings as well as closure of schools and most businesses. 

For GCQ areas, restricted mall openings covering non-leisure shops will be allowed.

Priority and essential construction projects will also be allowed to resume and higher education institutions may continue classes to finish the academic year and issue credentials to students. 

Public transport will be allowed to operate at reduced capacity and local government units will enforce curfew at night for non-workers, among other regulations.

Airports and seaports may operate in areas under ECQ and GCQ to ensure unhampered movement of goods. --KBK, GMA News