Malacañang said this may be the NCR Plus bubble’s last week under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) if the prevention, detection, isolation, treatment, and reintegration efforts against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will improve in the next six days.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque made the statement as Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal enter their second week under ECQ on Monday, April 5.

In his press briefing on Monday, Roque said the ECQ imposed on the NCR + bubble may be relaxed to the modified ECQ (MECQ) "upon proof of better performance across all indicators especially in terms of early detection and isolation."

For this purpose, the departments of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Trade and Industry (DTI), and Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the National Task Force (NTF) Task Group for the Management of Returning Overseas Filipinos shall ensure that necessary and correct data are submitted from the local government units, workplaces and establishments, and returning overseas Filipino and overseas Filipino workers, respectively.

Based on Resolution No. 108-A of the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, the Department of Education (DepEd), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will ensure that there is an adequate number of the following:

· COVID-19 dedicated beds

· Complementary health human resources

· Well-coordinated triage and referral systems in place at local government units (LGUs), isolation and quarantine facilities, and health facilities

The DILG, DOLE, and the Department of National Defense (DND) are tasked to improve the efficiency of contact tracing by increasing its capacity through the utilization of personnel from the DND and/or DILG, and the DOLE to supplement contact tracing efforts.

The said agencies shall likewise intensify enforcement of current protocols and guidelines at the local level, through the review of existing local ordinances and executive orders to provide for the imposition of other forms of penalties such as community service.

Meanwhile, the DTI adopted the following joint recommendations of the DOLE and the DTI:

· Intensifying the enforcement and monitoring of compliance to the minimum public health standards in the workplaces

· Rolling out of the Safety Seal Certification Program

· Encouraging citizenry reporting of non-compliant establishments through available government channels