Zamboanga City under MECQ starting May 8, mayor says

Zamboanga City will be placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) starting May 8, Saturday due to the surge of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, the mayor said on Wednesday.

In a Facebook live video, Zamboanga City Mayor Beng Climaco announced that the city will shift to a stricter lockdown due to the upsurge of cases in the region, which reported 1,769 active cases and 254 deaths due to COVID-19 on Tuesday.

"After being placed under MGCQ since August 16, 2020. Zamboanga City reverts to MECQ, effective Saturday, May 8, 2021 until such time the menace subsides," Climaco said.

Climaco noted that the National Task Force against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. granted the city government the authority to declare MECQ due to the "overwhelming rise of COVID-19 cases."

She added that the decision to put Zamboanga on a stricter lockdown was also upon the recommendation of health experts.

Under MECQ, Climaco said all establishments providing basic goods and services must remain open.

Alternative work arrangements must also be implemented in workplaces due to the lockdown.

On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte announced the extension of MECQ in the National Capital Region and the adjacent provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna until May 14, 2021.

Duterte also said the City of Santiago and Quirino and Abra will be under the stricter form of quarantine until May 31. -- Consuelo Marquez/BAP, GMA News