Ilocos Norte under GCQ

MANILA - Malacañang on Thursday announced that Abra, Baguio City and Bohol will be placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions, as recommended by the inter-agency task force on COVID-19.

Ilocos Norte will also shift to GCQ, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

According to Roque, the new quarantine classifications in the four areas will take effect on Friday, Sept. 24, until Sept. 30.

As of writing, Abra and Baguio are under GCQ while modified general community quarantine is raised in Bohol. Ilocos Norte is also under modified enhanced community quarantine.

He said that indoor dine-in services in Abra, Baguio and Bohol can operate at 20% venue or seating capacity while al-fresco or outdoor dine-in services can run at 50% capacity under GCQ with heightened restrictions.

"Beauty salons, beauty parlors, barbershops, and nail spas may operate up to 30% venue or seating capacity. Outdoor tourist attractions, on the other hand, shall be allowed at 30% venue capacity with strict adherence to minimum public health standards," Roque added.

Business establishments with Safety Seal Certifications will be allowed to operate at an additional 10% points beyond the prescribed capacity. But meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions and social events in venue establishments will not be permitted under the quarantine level.

"Also not allowed to operate are indoor sports courts and venues and indoor tourist attractions," Roque said.

Staycations and other specialized markets of the Department of Tourism will be permitted at such capacities, protocols and restrictions, according to the DOT.

Religious gatherings, meanwhile, are allowed to be conducted at 10% of the venue capacity.

"The local government unit (LGU) may increase this allowable venue capacity to 30%. Gatherings for necrological services, wakes, inurnment and funerals for those who died of causes other than COVID-19 and for the cremains of the COVID-19 deceased shall be allowed but limited to immediate family members," said Roque.

Interzonal travel of residents of Abra, Baguio and Bohol will be permitted, subject to restrictions of the local government unit of their destination.

"Point-to-point travel to areas under GCQ and MGCQ shall be allowed without age restrictions subject to an RT-PCR test-before-travel requirement for those below 18 years old and above 65, and other protocols and restrictions as may be imposed by the DOT and the LGU of destination," the Palace spokesperson said.

Last week, cities in Metro Manila were placed under only one alert level for the first 2 weeks of the system's pilot implementation.

• EXPLAINER: What to expect in new alert levels scheme in NCR, Philippines

Roque earlier said Metro Manila would only be placed under 2 quarantine classifications: enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) or GCQ.

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