President Duterte has approved placing the National Capital Region (NCR) back to the normal general community quarantine (GCQ) until the end of the month, along with 29 other areas in the country as their existing coronavirus (COVID-19) quarantine classification expired on July 15.
In a video message on Thursday, July 15, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque announced that aside from Metro Manila, the following areas are also under the normal GCQ from July 16 to 31, 2021:
- Baguio City
- Apayao
- City of Santiago, Isabela
- Isabela
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Quirino
- Bulacan
- Cavite
- Rizal
- Quezon
- Batangas
- Puerto Princesa City
- Guimaras
- Negros Occidental
- Zamboanga Sibugay
- City of Zamboanga
- Zamboanga del Norte
- Davao Oriental
- General Santos City
- Sultan Kudarat
- Sarangani
- Cotabato
- South Cotabato
- Agusan del Norte
- Surigao del Norte
- Agusan del Sur
- Dinagat Islands
- Surigao del Sur
- Cotabato City
The following areas will be under GCQ with heightened restrictions for the rest of the month, except four:
- Cagayan
- Laguna
- Lucena City
- Naga City
- Aklan (until July 22)
- Bacolod City (until July 22)
- Antique (until July 22)
- Capiz (until July 22)
- Negros Oriental
- Zamboanga del Sur
- Davao City
The province of Laguna was the only area from the NCR plus bubble area that remained in GCQ with heightened restrictions.
Nine areas will be under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from July 16 until the end of the month, except two:
- Bataan
- Iloilo City (until July 22)
- Iloilo (until July 22)
- Cagayan de Oro City
- Davao Occidental
- Davao de Oro
- Davao del Sur
- Davao del Norte
- Butuan City
According to Roque, the quarantine classification of the province of Iloilo and Iloilo City were still hanging in the balance.
"Kung hindi po mag-improve ang ating mga numero, ay posible po na mabago muli ang classification ng Iloilo City at Iloilo (If the numbers won't change, the quarantine classification of Iloilo City and Iloilo might still change)," he said.
Roque explained on Wednesday that the further easing of restrictions will depend on an area's COVID-19 data.
"Let's just say that we will follow the established criteria of looking at the attack rates and health care utilization rate," he said.