Abalos bares shortened Metro Manila curfew starting June 15


Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benhur Abalos says the uniform curfew in Metro Manila will be shortened to 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. starting midnight on June 15.

MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos (Screengrab from Facebook live)

Abalos made the announcement during the Laging Handa virtual press briefing Monday morning, June 14. The current curfew in the metropolis is from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., or six hours long.

This means that by Tuesday, the Metro curfew that's being implemented in connection with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic will only be four hours long.

Abalos said the decision to shorten the curfew was unanimously adopted by the 17 Metro mayors, who voted on the matter Sunday.

He said the decision was based on the improved numbers on daily attack rate, two-week growth rate, and hospital bed occupancy in Metro Manila.

"Dahil dito minabuti nila na lumawagan ...this will give more time sa mga taong kakain sa restaurants, sa mga malls na magbukas, may travel time. At siguro makatulong ng husto sa ating ekonomiya. (Because of this they decided to ease the curfew...this will give more time for people to eat in restaurants, for malls to open, for people to travel. And perhaps, to help the economy)," Abalos said.