Laguna, Iloilo City, and Cagayan de Oro City are set to deescalate to the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) starting August 16, 2021, leaving Metro Manila and the province of Bataan in the list of areas under strict lockdown.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque made the statement amid the rising number of cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the continued spread of the more contagious Delta variant in different parts of the country.
In a statement, Roque said President Duterte approved the recommendation of the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to deescalate the classification of Laguna, Iloilo City, and Cagayan de Oro City from ECQ to MECQ beginning August 16 until August 31, 2021.
The National Capital Region will stay under ECQ until August 20, 2021, while Bataan will continue to be under strict lockdown until August 22, 2021.
Other areas under MECQ from August 16-31, 2021, are the following:
- Apayao
- Ilocos Norte
- Bulacan
- Cavite
- Lucena City
- Rizal
- Aklan
- Iloilo province
- Lapu-Lapu City
- Mandaue City
- Cebu City
Bulacan was under general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions for the first half of the month.
The following areas will be under the general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions from August 16 to 31, 2021:
- Ilocos Sur
- Cagayan
- Quezon
- Batangas
- Naga City
- Antique
- Bacolod City
- Capiz
- Negros Oriental
- Cebu
- Zamboanga del Sur
- Misamis Oriental
- Davao City
- Davao del Norte
- Davao Occidental
- Butuan City
Meanwhile, Tarlac was placed under the normal GCQ from August 13, 2021 until the end of the month. Other areas under the same risk classification from August 16, 2021 are the following:
- Baguio City
- Santiago City
- Quirino
- Isabela
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Puerto Princesa
- Guimaras
- Negros Occidental
- Zamboanga Sibugay
- Zamboanga City
- Zamboanga del Norte
- Davao Oriental
- Davao del Sur
- General Santos City
- Sultan Kudarat
- Sarangani
- North Cotabato
- South Cotabato
- Agusan del Norte
- Agusan del Sur
- Surigao del Norte
- Surigao del Sur
- Dinagat Islands
- Cotabato City
On August 12, Roque said the Palace was one with the people who were calling for the de-escalation of the Metro Manila's risk classification but said it cannot place the people's lives in danger.
"We all want a lesser quarantine classification na mas marami pong taong makapagtrabaho. Pero ang desisyon nga po natin is total health (so many people can go to work but our decision is based on total health)," he said.
"Hindi naman natin papayagan na tuluyang magkasakit ang ating mga kababayan na hindi tayo handang gamutin ang mga seryoso at kritikal na magkakasakit (We cannot let the people get sick if we are not prepared to treat those who will be in severe and critical conditions)," he added.
He, however, said it was still early to decide on Metro Manila's fate.
"Titignan naman natin ang datos sa takdang panahon. Pero matagal pa po, a-bente pa po ang katapusan ng ECQ dito sa Metro Manila (We will look at the data when the right time comes. But we're not there yet, the ECQ in Metro Manila will end on the 20th)," he said.