Malacañang said the government is doing all that is needed to bring down the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases while avoiding closing the economy again by implementing stricter measures for two weeks.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases approved the closure of previously opened businesses and limited the number of people allowed in public places from March 22 to April 4.
In his Friday presser, Roque said that the government is trying its best to ease the number of cases without having to go on lockdown again.
"Sinusubukan po nating ipababa talaga ang numero ng COVID-19 cases nang hindi po nagsasarado nang malawakan ang ating ekonomiya. So inaasahan po natin ang kooperasyon ng lahat (We are trying to bring down the number of cases in the country without closing down the economy. We hope that the public will cooperate)," he said.
"Sa pamamagitan ng latest decision na ito ng IATF, baka naman po mapababa natin (With this decision of the IATF, maybe we can bring the number of cases down)," he added.
Roque said elevating the quarantine classification would be the government's last resort.
"As a last resort, pwede tayong mag-increase ng quarantine classification pero marami na nga pong nagugutom kaya kinakailangan eh buksan natin hanggang maaari ang ating ekonomiya (we can raise the quarantine classification but there are many people experiencing hunger already that's why we need to keep the economy open as long as we can)," he said.
New orders
Based on IATF Resolution No. 103, foreigners are once again prohibited from entering the country from March 22 to April 21 except for the following:
- Diplomats and members of international organizations and their dependents 9(c) or 47(a)(2) visa at the time of entry
- Foreign nationals involved in medical repatriation
- Foreign seafarers under the "Green Lanes" program for crew change
- Foreign spouses and children of Filipino citizens with valid visas at the time of entry
- Emergency, humanitarian, and other analogous cases approved by the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19
To address the rising cases of COVID-19, the operations of the following businesses or industries under the general community quarantine (GCQ) will be suspended until April 4:
- Driving schools
- Traditional cinemas and video- and interactive- game arcades
- Libraries
- Archives
- Museums
- Cultural centers
- Limited social events at accredited establishments of the Department of Tourism (DOT) except open-air tourist attractions
Until April 4, meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) events shall be limited to essential business gatherings at 30 percent venue capacity.
Religious gatherings shall observe a maximum of 30 percent of the venue capacity provided that there is no objection from the local government unit (LGU). LGUs, however, have the discretion to raise the limit of the venue's capacity to 50 percent.
The venue capacity of dine-in restaurants, cafes and personal care services is limited to a maximum of 50 percent.
National government agencies are encouraged to defer the conduct of noncritical activities that would entail mass gatherings.
Cockfighting and cockpit operations are likewise suspended, including in areas under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).
LGUs, meanwhile, still have the authority to impose a higher age limit for age-based restrictions for minors.