IATF: NCR, Bulacan, Rizal should remain under 'GCQ with some restrictions' until July 15

MANILA (UPDATED) — Metro Manila and the provinces of Rizal and Bulacan should be under general community quarantine (GCQ) "with some restrictions" until the middle of July, the COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) said Monday.

In a taped meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III recommended placing the National Capital Region, Rizal and Bulacan under GCQ "with some restrictions" until July 15, while Laguna and Cavite will be under GCQ "with heightened restrictions" within the same period.

NCR Plus was under GCQ with "heightened restrictions" until June 30.

Starting July 1, gyms and fitness centers in NCR, Rizal and Bulacan will be allowed to accept up to 40 percent of its total capacity, while other indoor sports courts are allowed at 50 percent capacity, according to the IATF's recommendations.

Museums and historical sites, as defined by the Department of Tourism, are also allowed to accept up to 40 percent of its total capacity, while still adhering to minimum public health standards.

Gyms and fitness centers, indoor sports courts, museums and other historical sites, on the other hand, are not allowed to open in Laguna and Cavite.

The congested capital region, an urban sprawl of 16 cities and a municipality, account for about two-thirds of the country's gross domestic product.

Extended coronavirus curbs will continue to hurt the Philippines' economy, which posted a record 9.6 percent slump last year.

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QUARANTINE IN REST OF PH

The IATF said the following areas should be under modified enhanced community quarantine from July 1 to 15, the second toughest lockdown level.

• Region 2
  -Cagayan
• Cordillera Administrative Region
  -Apayao
• Region 3
  -Bataan
• Region 4-A
  -Lucena City
• Region 4-B
  -Puerto Princesa City
• Region 5
  -Naga City
• Region 6
  -Iloilo province
  -Iloilo City
• Region 7
  -Negros Oriental
• Region 9
  -Zamboanga del Sur
  -Zamboanga del Norte
• Region 10
  -Cagayan de Oro City
• Region 11
  -Davao City
  -Davao Oriental
  -Davao Occidental
  -Davao de Oro
  -Davao del Sur
  -Davao del Norte
• CARAGA
  -Butuan City
  -Dinagat Islands
  -Surigao del Sur

Meanwhile, the following areas should be under GCQ, the second loosest quarantine level from June 1 to 30.

• Cordillera Administrative Region
  -Baguio City
  -Ifugao
• Region 2
  -City of Santiago
  -Isabela
  -Nueva Vizcaya
  -Quirino
• Region 4-A
  -Batangas
  -Quezon
• Region 6
  -Guimaras
  -Aklan
  -Bacolod City
  -Negros Occidental
  -Antique
  -Capiz
• Region 9
  -Zamboanga Sibugay
  -City of Zamboanga
• Region 10
  -Iligan City
• Region 12
  -General Santos City
  -Sultan Kudarat
  -Sarangani
  -Cotabato
  -South Cotabato
• CARAGA
  -Agusan del Norte
  -Surigao del Norte
  -Agusan del Sur
• BARMM
  -Cotabato City

The rest of the Philippines should be under the least stringent quarantine level, modified GCQ, during the whole of July.

The Philippines, which has the second-highest COVID-19 cases and deaths in Southeast Asia, has tallied 1,403,588 coronavirus infections.

Active cases in the country hit 52,029 while deaths reached 24,456, as of June 28, according to the health department.

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The Philippines has so far been able to administer at least 10 million COVID-19 vaccine doses as of Monday.

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The government aims to vaccinate at least 58 million of its 108 million population to achieve "population protection" and safely reopen the economy.

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